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Spanish interior minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz yesterday announced in Congress planned reforms that would introduce harsh new punishments for those involved in organising street protests that "seriously disturb the public peace". A minimum jail term of two years could be imposed on those found guilty of instigating and carrying out violent acts of protest, and organising such demonstrations through social networks would carry the same penalty as involvement in a criminal organisation. Even more alarmingly, acts of "passive resistance" will also carry harsher punishments under the proposed legislation, and it will be an offence, said Mr Diaz, to "breach authority using mass active or passive resistance against security forces and to include as a crime of assault any threatening or intimidating behaviour". Attempts to disrupt public services, such as the recent blockades of bus and train stations by Spanish protestors during a general strike on March 29th, would also be treated as a crime.