Fwd: [hic-eu] Spain postpones EU housing ministers meeting due to

[Massimo ANDREIS ALLAMANDOLA]

Friends,
the 17th Informal meeting of the EU Housing Ministers which was planned
in Barcelona October 16-17 (see my yesterday message) was postponed due
to fears against protesters. (see below)
A victory? Any comment?
Knut

----------------
AP Oct. 10

MADRID, Spain Spain has postponed a meeting of European Union housing
ministers scheduled for next week in the northeastern city of Barcelona
fearing antiestablishment groups might carry out acts of street violence.

Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said the meeting, which was to
have taken place Oct. 16-17, had been postponed after consultation with
Barcelona authorities. Gangs of youths believed to have links to
antiestablishment groups went on a rampage in central Barcelona last
week.

"In cases of security, it's better to prevent than have to cure,"
Rubalcaba told reporters in the town of Sabadell, close to Barcelona.

Authorities feared gangs might go on the rampage again as the ministers'
meeting coincides with the start of campaigning for Catalonia's regional
elections Nov. 1.
--------------

MADRID (Reuters Oct 10) - Spain said on Tuesday it had put off a summit
of EU housing ministers in Barcelona next week, fearing a repeat of
violent demonstrations by anarchists who fired homemade bazookas and
threw paint at an art museum.

Two anti-capitalist protesters were arrested during last Thursday's
violent demonstration, which originally started as a march by locals
against planned changes to a Barcelona square.

Hooded attackers threw paint, stones and flares at Barcelona's Museum of
Contemporary Art, MACBA, in a surprise attack, which local media said
was the fourth major act of street violence in Spain's second city this
year.

Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said he was postponing the
ministers' meeting at the recommendation of the region's security panel.

"The meeting has been postponed for security reasons. With peoples'
safety, prevention is better than cure," he said.

A European Union spokeswoman added that the summit, which was due to
take place on Oct 16-17, could be held at a later date, or in another
city.
_______________________________________________
hic-eu provisional mailinglist for HIC Europe
Administration: HIC General Secretary and Knut Unger
served by: JPBerlin
Address for your messages to the list:
hic-eu at listi.jpberlin.de
web interface and archives:
http://listi.jpberlin.de/mailman/listinfo/hic-eu

----- End Forwarded Message -----