A bust of former Spanish Prime Minister Manuel Fraga Iribarne in Vilalba, Lugo, was vandalized with red paint on Saturday, an act claimed by the Basque youth organization Gazte Koordinadora Sozialista (GKS). The group published a video online showing three hooded individuals applying the paint to the statue.
GKS linked the act to the events of March 3, 1976, in Vitoria-Gasteiz, when police opened fire on striking workers during a demonstration, resulting in five deaths and numerous injuries. The organization accuses Fraga, who was Minister of Governance at the time, of being “one of the main responsible” for the killings. “The bust in honor of Fraga still remains in the center of the square! The struggle for March 3rd has not ended!” GKS stated in a social media post accompanying the video.
The vandalism comes less than a month before the 50th anniversary of the Vitoria incident. In 1976, the police action occurred during a period of widespread labor unrest and as Spain transitioned from the Franco dictatorship. Fraga, a prominent figure in the Franco regime and later a key leader in Spain’s democratic transition, served as Vice President and Minister of Governance at the time of the shootings.
Alfonso Rueda, the current President of the Xunta of Galicia, responded to the incident on social media, stating, “They do not respect symbols. They do not respect a president who achieved four absolute majorities from all Galicians. They only respect their own sectarianism.”
What we have is not the first instance of the Fraga bust being targeted. Sources indicate the statue was previously vandalized, suggesting a recurring pattern of protest related to Fraga’s legacy and the events of March 3, 1976.
Work has recently begun on renovations to the church in Vitoria-Gasteiz where the 1976 shootings occurred, but the project is not expected to be completed in time for the anniversary of the event.