Police State Espana. Police shut down puppet show in Barcelona outnumbered 100/1 they call for back

originally posted by: andy1972
a reply to: Domo1

Nice cripple vid...these people are the lowest of the low.

It's bad. I don't like to point fingers but at least some of us know who to look out for in certain places.

The US doesn't really have one group that is universally known as liars, cheats, people to be avoided.

In Europe, pretty much everywhere you are warned to stay away from gypsies. For good reason.

I don't know how much you know about the US, we have crappy people, but they are hard to pin down by race, creed, or whatever. We have bad white people, bad black people, bad hispanic people, bad everything but it's not universal like it is with Romas.

I don't hate them, but I'm very skeptical.

a reply to: Domo1 and andy1972
I wrote a reply earlier but for some reason halfway through i got logged out.

It seems you are very blinkered. I am a professional musician and I often play in the street. I know a lot of performers who when they busk or perform they are obviously busking or performing a skill. Yes there are "gypsies" and pickpockets and scammers. (just because you are a gypsy does not make you a criminal, that is racist) But the authorities are clamping down on everyone. I provided 12k soundsytem and lighting rig for our towns pantomime. I had a licence and full permission to do the show (now in it's third year) but once they realised that lots of the performers and cast were political undesirables they pulled the plug Literally. They told me that there was No electricity, via a 3 phase board and never had been. The thing is in that same year i had provided the same rig in the same Plaza for the Spanish Green party and the Mujeres association. (battered women). I wired in my own 3 phase junction and the show went on. They threatened me with arrest until i told them exactly who i was what i had done and that i would have no qualms about going to the press.

Why do we now need licences for everything, that seems very fascist? Why not just arrestt the people who do bad things rather than assume everybody is bad?

a reply to: Domo1
is this person bad??





And no he did NOT have a licence. He's a musician...so people rarely want to pay. the cost of the licence prohibits any working musician/performer from actually doing anything catch 22.

a reply to: discolo

Or what about these two scumbag criminal types?? lets roun d em all up put em in a field and bomb the bastards.

a reply to: discolo

this, um, isnt what the title said it was.

I want my time back.

The guy ran and they called in a single motorcycle unit to track him down. He was just going to get a ticket. The cops were just like WTF, and Meh. MAYBE a little "are you F-ing serious?"

Also the area was full of "giris", (American tourists) They were sitting in a cafe terrace drinking EXCELLENT coffee (bastards) and chilling. They werent exactly rioting.

a reply to: tadaman

The guy ran and left his papers. He was arrested later and had his puppets taken from him.There were two motorcycles called for back up. You can clearly hear(if you speak spanish) the officer asking for a team "equipo". For a puppeteer i mean W.T.F.?

To me that is a police state. Why was he getting a ticket? No one was complaining. The police closed him down. Police state. the called for back up, police state.

I never said they were rioting, but they were clearly not happy with the actions of the police. The police were aware of this. It's a good thing they were not rioting because this just makes a mockery of the police rather than giving them the excuse that People are bad and should be beaten and arrested.

originally posted by: discolo
a reply to: discolo

Or what about these two scumbag criminal types?? lets roun d em all up put em in a field and bomb the bastards.

Thanks for sharing that video. I love the guitar and that was amazing.

I don't think all people that perform in the street are dirtbags, or scum. Not by a long shot. I just don't think one guy doing a puppet show with no information getting arrested means police brutality and that in Europe there are a TON of people that set up shop to rob tourists/don't have a license/have people picking pockets in the crowd.

I really appreciate good music, even the kind I don't really get.

a reply to: discolo

I understand and speak spanish. They called in 2 bikes. ok. Its a metropolitan city and is huge. They wanted to catch him sure. If he was arrested it was for running and trying to incite a riot.

You also should have overheard the other guy saying that if the performer wants to perform he needs to apply for a proper permit and pay like everyone else. He probably works in the cafe and called the cops himself. I worked in cafes in Spain. Beggars and performers drive customers away. Especially weirdo hippie types that F with everyone they perceive as a threat in their self imposed class war just for living well.

The guy could have just stood there and gotten his ticket and went to court to fight it. It probably would have been thrown out. Spanish law isnt exactly harsh. The judges are too lenient IMO. Especially in Cataluña.

His puppets could have stayed with him had he acted like an adult.

In the end this could have been a fine. He chose to make it more. You are right though. He left his papers with them and THEN ran. Idiot.

Que le den.

a reply to: Domo1
My point is, yeah arrest the scumbags but use a bit of common sense where people are providing a bit of cultural suppor and education. particularly in this current econonmic climate. Most of these performers cannot afford a licence.
The scam artists don't need or want to pay for a licence.
A bit like gun laws in america no? Conscientious gun owners have a licence the criminals with guns still use them without a licence. everyone gets penalised.

a reply to: tadaman

But he crowd had been enjoying his performance, you might think he was a weird hippy type but he did have his correct identity papers. The police should have used a bit of gumption and thought to themselves " nice plaza full of happy tourists spending money. Instead they risked pissing 100 or so people off and giving them no reason to sit around and continue spending money. It's not rocket science. to me it looks like deliberate intimidation.

a reply to: tadaman
To get the permit you also have to pay your "Autonomo" which is the income tax which EVERYONE who works has to pay. The base rate is 250 Euros a month. there is 50% unemployment because no one can afford to pay this. This is an old tactic first used by fascist Germany to encourage big corporations and destroy the small and self employed business'. it is now being pushed throughout the european union. The only way for me for example to make the money to work legally is to work illegally first. Geddit?

a reply to: discolo

A bit like gun laws in america no? Conscientious gun owners have a licence the criminals with guns still use them without a licence. everyone gets penalised.

You don't need a license to own a gun where I live (Seattle WA or close enough).

Not really the same thing. Not a great comparison, but I get what you're going for.

I'm getting too sleepy to argue. I hope you have a nice night, or day, and a great week! I don't think the police were blatantly overreaching, but I admit I don't know the laws and climate over there. I'm going to browse around ATS for a bit and let my dog's snoring lull me to sleep.

a reply to: discolo

Hey I understand. I had to pay autonomo taxes in Spain as well.

It does go by what type of business you plan on opening. I paid up the ass for no apparent reason. Between that and insurance for my employees I was paying a kings ransom just for the privilege to keep my business open. I ended up laying off most of my employees and working more myself like hoarse since it didnt make sense at the end of the day to work for the sake of my employees and the freeloading state and unions. I liked my guys, but I was in business to make money, not to run a not for profit.

I have since left Spain and will never invest a dime there. I wanted to kill someone when the SGAE tried to ransom me 250 Euros a month for playing music and a television in my business. I never paid them a cent. It was funny to an extent. They would come by or send letters and I would dick them around like no ones business. LOL

Anyways. The guy in the video had personal ID. If he had autonomo papers in good standing he would have been fine. I agree with you that it doesnt make sense to round up moors and Senegalese selling bootleg CDs or pocket books so they can eat. It also doesnt make sense to encourage a submerged economy and endless unqualified immigration. Spain also has a huge native social problem where everyone tries to dick the state out of tax money. The state is the root of the problem though because it makes grandiose promises as is done with socialist governments and then proceeds to tax and fine people up the ass to pay for the excess spending.

The people need to learn to fend for themselves and respect the law. The government needs to cut the fat and excess spending that creates a cycle of dependence.

You can say what you will about Franco, but when you worked what you earned was YOURS. Now what you earn is the states and you get to keep a pittance of what you earned. You cant even inherit a dime without giving the government a third of it.

I dont know where your political leanings lie, but the socialists have ruined Spain. They stole with both hands full and try to blame everyone except themselves. Los sindicatos y sus liberados son los cerdos. ( the unions and the non working "liberated union leaders" are the pigs)

This man is probably just trying to feed himself. I will give you that. I saw a man fined for selling asparagus once. It is a bit much. The end result of doing nothing is that Spain becomes Romania 2.0 and it loses what wealth it has to non spaniards. Notice that this man in the video is not Spanish. The flood gates are open on a sinking ship. If there is not enough for those at home, then there should not be special treatment for those who come to suck the country until it is a dried out prune.

Spain needs to fix things on both ends. The entitlement culture needs to die, and the government needs to start spending and taxing less.

Have a good one.

Chao bacalao

a reply to: Domo1
Good night amigo, my day is just beginning. I'm of out to pick up my new Double bass which i will be playing illegally this weekend in a bar which is also illegal at a benefit for a singer who was punched in the throat for singing illegally, lol

It used to be great here, Technically I am a Gypsy. I live in my truck and i play music. But I do own my own land. It was not a problem for 12 years. But now it is illegal (for my own safety),

But that's a different discussion.

a reply to: tadaman
Aha, you do understand. That's my point exactly.

People who are honestly trying to fend for themselves are being punished and victimised.
I don't actually mind paying a fair tax but it does not get spent on social schemes. It goes straight to the banks to pay off debts or to the police services to maintain order as everyone is pissed off.

I have lived here in my town for 14 years. For 12 of those years we had 2 Policia Locales.
Then two years ago the new Socilasit (lmao) Mayor said there was not enough money in the coffers for certain social initiatives. Meals on wheels for the old and infirm was one, we now use volunteers and pay for our own fuel. Rubbish collection was another, the refuse vehicles were sold off and collection times were halved but the fees went up.

Next thing we know is there are an extra 6 Policia locales, and 2 more police cars. One of which is the new Nissan patrol(dictators choice worldwide) which is all singing all dancing riot protected and cost 85.000 euros. All of this for a market town where the biggest crime is now housewives shoplifting.

We're also setting up an alternative currency scheme, it's already in effect and working. But guess what? they are already trying to figure out how to tax us or at least make us pay. The whole point is we can't pay.

Anyway, i'm actually pleasantly surprised you understand. I really need to go out now. But i'm not hopping mad like i was this time yesterday.

a reply to: discolo

Yeah, sounds familiar. My hopes and prayers are with Spain.


Have a good one sir.

You play music?

Play it loud Mo F-er!!!

que se rompa la bateria!!! (break the drums!!)

originally posted by: Shiloh7
a reply to: discolo

Were those naughty puppets being rude about your royalty?

If you do succeed in getting rid of yours perhaps you could give us in the UK some hints as ours are well past their extravagant sell-by-date and apparently think we enjoy paying for 4 generations of them with all the cuts the wealthy in parlaiment are imposing on the average Brit! To make it worse our Prince Charles earned from his Duchy of Cornwall £18 million so he hardly needs money from the hardpressed, low paid public. especially as the queen got £47 million given to her curtesy of her sweet cousin Cameron. Someone asled arfe they openly laughing at the public of what???

Prince Charles pays income tax, and the Exchequer make a profit from the British royal family, try some Google.

a reply to: pikestaff
Is that so?
that didn't take long

originally posted by: discolo
a reply to: Domo1
Good night amigo, my day is just beginning. I'm of out to pick up my new Double bass which i will be playing illegally this weekend in a bar which is also illegal at a benefit for a singer who was punched in the throat for singing illegally, lol

It used to be great here, Technically I am a Gypsy. I live in my truck and i play music. But I do own my own land. It was not a problem for 12 years. But now it is illegal (for my own safety),

But that's a different discussion.

So i take it your a bit of a hippy who wants to work illegaly without paying autonomo or IRPF as eveyone else does.
I think personally, your just an anti establishment type. Were you burning contenedores in Barcelona last month and throwing rocks at the mossos, or maybe spray painting a La Caixa..

The thread title is exceptionally misleading....

The guiri sounds French or Italian...probably part of a travelling circus like 'trapeze'.

Spain is full of 'new age leeches' who want to make a buck out of the tourists playing a crappy arcordeon or juggling, then when the local authorities ask them to pay taxes on what they make the scream "Fascists"

originally posted by: discolo


People who are honestly trying to fend for themselves are being punished and victimised.

Because they want to live tax free, while everyone eslse pays 21%..aint life a bitch.

I don't actually mind paying a fair tax but it does not get spent on social schemes. It goes straight to the banks to pay off debts or to the police services to maintain order.

They need more police to make sure the non tax paying hippies with dreadlocks pay up or move on..

I have lived here in my town for 14 years. For 12 of those years we had 2 Policia Locales.
Meals on wheels for the old and infirm was one, we now use volunteers and pay for our own fuel.

I'd be interested to know where you live, because in my 15 years in Spain i've never come across any form of meals on wheels in any town or village!!

Next thing we know is there are an extra 6 Policia locales, and 2 more police cars. One of which is the new Nissan patrol(dictators choice worldwide) which is all singing all dancing riot protected and cost 85.000 euros. All of this for a market town where the biggest crime is now housewives shoplifting.

Your reference to dictators choice is showing your true colours and the basis of this very thread...a hatred of the police and the government..

We're also setting up an alternative currency scheme, it's already in effect and working. But guess what? they are already trying to figure out how to tax us or at least make us pay. The whole point is we can't pay.

Can't? or don't want to......smells of hippy commune to me...Want to pay..fine..dont do your gigs for free...make the bar pay and you pay yout taxes in turn...becaus in you 'free' gig, im sue the owner wont be giving away tapas y cubatas free all night will he !!