No Tyrants” in the Puerta del Sol, Historic Heart of Spanish Democracy
On Saturday, March 28th hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol—the city’s spiritual heart—in the latest local iteration of global “No Tyrants” protests. The event, sponsored and organized by the Madrid chapter of Democrats Abroad started at noon in front of the historic Presidencia de la Comunidad de Madrid building, and featured informational speeches, group sing-alongs, and impassioned personal testimonials.
The stated mission of Democrats Abroad is: “To help U.S. citizens abroad register to vote and request their absentee ballots; To mobilize the overseas vote to defend democracy and elect Democrats; and to Build a vibrant community of engaged Democrats in Madrid.” All these tenets were fulfilled at the March 28th event, as attendees sang protest songs, displayed darkly comedic signs, laughed at jokes, and generally reveled in each other’s company for nearly two hours.
As at similar rallies in the United States, many participants later described their joy at having taken part in the protests, in having come together with others in solidarity against abuses, and collectively to “live in truth” against the constant gaslighting of an unaccountable Trump Administration. In so doing, demonstrators were continuing a long and proud tradition of political demonstration in the Puerta del Sol, symbolic center of Spanish democracy and site of some of the most important moments of Spanish social history.
Dating to the early nineteenth century, Sol has been the site of battles in the Peninsular Wars, the proclamation of the democratic Second Republic, pro-democracy demonstrations, and mass anti-austerity protests, among other historic events. The plaza has thus been socially constructed as the principal site of Spanish democratic activism. The March 28th demonstration was the third “No Tyrants” protest hosted by Democrats Abroad in the last twelve months, and organizers insisted once again on Puerta del Sol as the host site.
Many of the signs on display at the demonstration had antifascist messaging, which seemed appropriate given the host country’s legacy of fighting fascism. It was the Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset who first observed a fundamental truth about the antidemocratic nature of European fascist movements of the 1920s. For Ortega, fascist parties would likely never hold absolute majorities giving them democratic legitimacy, and for this reason part of fascism’s program was simply to discourage others from believing in democracy generally.
An important aspect of antifascist action is thus to uphold democratic institutions and defend them from those who would tear them down. Part of the joy felt by protesters on March 28th was simply a public self-recognition of a general belief in democracy. As the recent election in Hungary has shown, ultimate political power still rests with the people, whose collective action can topple dictators. In a world once again threatened by tyranny, showing up to publicly support and believe in democracy is everything.
This is why the global March 28th demonstrations felt so meaningful. Madrid’s gathering had the added distinction of a palpable internationalism. Many of the protestors and speakers were American expats, but others were local Madrileños and travelers from all parts of the world, joined in solidarity out of concern for the global public good. One of the scheduled speakers related that, though there may have been hundreds present at the demonstration, “even if only ten people were here, it would still matter…because this protest is just one of thousands around the world today!”
Protestors who took to the streets on March 28th were doing more than simply denouncing cruel and unlawful government from an unjust Administration. They were performing citizenship—in this case a distinctly cosmopolitan citizenship—perhaps the highest form of patriotism. And they were joined by an international civil society rejecting tyranny and oppression in favor of humanity and inclusion. It is natural that the Madrid gathering would take place in Puerta del Sol, the heart of Spanish democracy.
Carter Barnwell
Photo Credit: Carter Barnwell
