Above: “Justice” painted on the streets in the blood of one of the victims. Images courtesy of Stewart Reddin.

On 3 March 1976 during a general strike in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gastiez, five men were shot dead by Spanish police at a church where thousands of workers had assembled for a meeting. On Saturday 5 March to mark the 40th anniversary of the massacre a free public screening of the documentary ‘Massacre in Vitoria’ will be shown in the Pearse Centre, Dublin.

The massacre had been preceded by mass militant workers’ demonstrations across the Spanish state following the death of General Franco in November 1975. Workers demanded: an end to state controlled trade unions and the right to free association, wage increases, and an amnesty for political prisoners. They received overwhelming support from the people and for several months hundreds of thousands marched on the streets in support of these basic demands. The Spanish state’s response was brutal.

You can continue reading about the events before and surrounding the Massacre in Gastiez at this excellent blog by Stewart Reddin.

The free film screening takes place at the Pearse Centre at 3:30pm on Saturday 5th March and full details are contained at the event page here.