I can’t find a good source for background material. Basically, Spain had an election, the youth had a revolt. Try http://www.facebook.com/SpanishRevolution
I’ve been wandering around the Puerta del Sol encampment since the day I got to Madrid. My hostel is right around the corner so I periodically peek out to see the tent city evolve. The first time I was there (Sunday night) there were already some tents and small groups of people were drinking beer in public. Here this is known as a Botellano (youth drinking in public) and since then several hand made signs have gone up saying “No Botellano”. Actually, a lot of signage has gone up these past five days. Now there’s tape on the group indicating where to keep clear for walkways. Today there was even volunteers in neon vests (labeled “Respecto”) keeping people off the street so that cars could pass. I gotta say, crowd control is way better than Montreal Jazzfest, and these people are way more fired up (but probably way less drunk).
The pictures above are of a general assembly taking place. I don’t understand anything except “Si se puede”, “Democracia Proporcional”, and “Legalizacion Marijuana”. Also, the crowd votes yes by doing jazz hands and no by doing crossed-fists. Anyone can come up to make resolutions it seems. These pictures are actually from yesterday and today the assembly is twice as big. There’s even a little stage with two girls doing a newscast, but I don’t think it’s any official media.
How much the whole square has transformed is incredible. Even though they had already camped out tents when I first saw it, the construction since has been unbelievably expansive. Now a large part of the square is occupied by the tent city. The tent city has little houses in it made of wood people have donated. In the walkthrough below you’ll see the power generators, library, news-stand, a typical house, and the suburbs of the tent city. As of today there’s also a pharmacy (toilet paper, shampoo, etc.), a woodworking shop, a media/news centre and a poster making station.
Apologies for the pretty dark video. Near the end I walk out into the suburbs so you get a sense of scale.
