THE BARCELONA RIOTS

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 34

THE BARCELONA RIOTS

LONDON, September 8. Ferrer will be court-martialled, he being the unseen director of the July riots in Barcelona (Spain) The Barcelona revolt began as a protest against the Moroccan war, the Republicans alleging that it was a capitalists' campaign. Easy payment exemptions for military service, wihich are now suspended, highly favoured the richer classes, so that Morocco provided a ground for the agitations. Tramcars were derailed, overturned, and stoned, and the combative propensities of the, crowd were aroused. There were only 800 soldiers in the city, and some civil guards. The latter confronted the rioters and dispensed them in cue quarter, but they were reinforced in another, and disorder spread everywhere. When the soldiers appeared on the scene they were greeted with " Lona: live the army. We don't want you to die in Africa. Thie unjust war was brought about by mine proprietors, not by the nation," but tho soldiers did not fraternise. They remained inort. They carried out evolutions, a:id when ordered to "fire" some disobeyed, while others fired into the air. Al-nny t f the civil guard used their weapons vigorously ; others refused to fire on the people. In the midst of this confusion the civ.l governor resigned, and the military governor wired for reinfoicements. The mob soon passed out of control. They abandoned stonethrowing in the centre of the town, and went further afield. They lite;! the Convent of Escolapios and the Church of Saint Pablo. This -was the first taete of battle against the clergy, and inspired the mob to fresh outrages. j.h"re is a long-standing hatred between democracy and the clergy, because Ihe latter vt-re privileged, exempt from taxation, wid possess enormous wealth, forming a State witthin the State; they constitute <.ne of th© strongest conservative barriers ajjain-it he aspirations of the Democrats. In Barcelona particularly for the lr.st 15 years haveconvonts multiplied. Orders which fledi from Cuba and the Philippines took refugo here. They crowd the best quarters of the city, and their dwellings here arc amongst the most imposing in Baroe'<via Many monastic institutions in Rarceljna have become industrial establishments, which produce all kinds of things, from liqueurs to table linen, under conditions which, with the exemption of taxes, which are very heavy in Spain, render them crtremely favourable ThWo are practical reasons for popular hostility. The idea of burning these institutions is not new It. had already been suggosted by the Radical press as v summary mean-* of making- an end to the priests, aa-d came up agan at an opportune moment when the revolutionists felt they had a free hand. The attack on tho convents was earned out in a very extraordinaJ y fashion. In a deserted street there appeared a man on a bicycle, who made a eort of reeonnaissa.nce, aiid finding no civil guards about, disappeared. Shortly afterwards up eamo five or six boys with a tin cf petroleum, with which they sprinkled the doors. They them set fire to tho buildinig and 1 hurried away. Then arrived a group, who completed tho work of incendiarism. Tho numbers rarely exceeded a hundred persons. Somo religious establishments were quietly burned under the very eyes of a squad of soldiors with grounded arms. At several convents there- arrived heralds of incendiarism, who knocked at tho doors, and said to the porter : "We will return in half an hour and burn the church and convent. You had better leave it." The monks accordingly left and took refuge in neighbouring houses. This work became systematic on Tuesday might, July 27. Eighteen fires illuminated the whole city, and only the providential lack of wind prevented an immense disaster. Nearly all tho churches in Barcelona were destroyed. One church, which must have been very beautiful—that of Santa Modrona— shut in hitween barricaded, wa<3 completely gutted under the destroying tongues of the flame-,, and the seulptuied ston-^: of the entrance fell. A magnificent stained glass window was shattered, and the window frames molted. Many masterpieces of art ha\e been lost. Scenes <..£ most savage brutality were witnessed. Popular fancy f«d it<=elf ujp to fanlastic 6tories of secrets of inquisition and torture chambers. Thus after the fire had devoured tho Magdalen Convent, the mob entered it, inspired bj pel versa fury. They renoiK-d a room on tho giound flcor and »«iw what appeared bricked-up window-:. Those were vaults ; becau«J convents have tho privilege of burj ing rheir dead within the walk. Cried the mob : " Here' 6 the treasury. This is where they buried their gold and silver." So with fcitono, staves, and axes they began to batter down the masonry. Coffins app2ared. There was a moment's, hesitation and silence. All respect had \unwhecl even for the dead. Impure hands stretched into the vault, liauled out the coffin*- amidst savage tries and laughter. Coffina weie smashed with stories and kicked open. There were 14, containing todies of iiun.= . The canaille laughed in the faocs of the dead sisteis, and tore off their shrouds. Home bodies were plated standing at the dcor, rifles being slipped under th^ir cioswed arm 6, so that they should resemble sentries. Thus they remained until the; next day. Two corpses were carried to Rambla, ar.d left in the doorway of "a patrician's house. The incendiaries got v£> a mock funeral, and marched in a procession, accompanied by their wive**, tinging profane songs. Gunsmiths' shopd were plundered of firearms and barricades thrown up at many of the street corners, but the mob's chief occupation wa.? to tire tho churches and convent^. One section of the mob, armed with rifles and revolvorF, teok possession of an empty hou-e. The genduimcs and a few soldiers laid oicjo to the buildings and dislodged them. Ti.e troops wore fired on from windows, and in nearly all tho streets scores of white flags hung out. At night the only light in the town was from the burning buildings. A gang of incendiaaies with torches and petroleum, attempted to fire the Jesuit monastery in the suburb of Saria. This place became t,he chief refuge for the clergy. Many had reached tho building in disguise — some in women's drags. The Jesuit fathers and pupils kept the mob at bay with firearms. When fresh troops entered the city on the 29th iho artillery was used against some of tho barricades. A polios post, which the mob hotly Iv-siegocl for several hour<=, was relieved. TL-3 cro.\d attcinp'uig to lire tLe

convent near the university was caught T in the flank by the troops. . A couple of ' volleys sent the mob flying in every direc- " tion . By this time the violence of the mob was wearing out, and the absence of food helped to bring about order Nevertheless, the rioters attacked another convent on the 30th, and on the 31st they again ende-aoured > to fire the convent in Callo Rogeirdel Flor. Gendarmes fire<l on them, killed six, and took 16 prisoners. Military action became effective on Thursday. During that day, Friday, and Saturday, there was much firing from roofs and windows. The barricades were but little used. Half a<iozen in the suburbs were surrendered after tihe first shot. The riotera had little inclination for fighting. They robbed shops, shot three or four priests, who ran away from them, and vented their violeoica on everything connected with the ehurdh. Altogether close on 40 convents and churches were destroyed. The total death roll did not exceed 150. The wounded numbered 300 and atout 500 were locked up in a fortress for trial.