Far right says immigration makes Spaniards outsiders
Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:15 PM BST
MADRID (Reuters) - Hundreds of far-rightists draped in Spanish flags marched through Madrid on Sunday, demanding the government put a stop to immigration which they said was turning them into foreigners in their own country.
The protest was attended by up to about 1,500 people, mostly young men dressed as skinheads who raised their fists in fascist salutes and shouted slogans such as "Viva Espana!"
"We are here to protest at the government's immigration policy, which is converting Spaniards into foreigners in their own country," said Fernando Cantalapiedra, 25-year-old leader of the Falange, a far-rightist group which organised the march.
"(The government) is giving social benefits to immigrants when we have a serious unemployment problem," he told Reuters.
The Falange was one of the core supporters of fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who died in 1975. With 8,000 members, it describes itself as a promoter of national unity.
Demonstrators also burnt a Catalan flag, in an apparent protest at attempts this year by the Catalan and the Basque regional governments to win greater autonomy from Madrid.
In February, Spain introduced a three-month amnesty for illegal immigrants as part of a drive to lift them out of the shadow economy, give them rights and make them pay taxes.
Around 700,000 people took advantage of the scheme, which the government said helped better regulate immigration in a country that is a main gateway into the European Union from Africa and Latin America.
But some critics have said the move risked worsening the problem of illegal immigration into Europe.
In recent weeks large groups of African migrants have tried to get into Europe by storming razor wire fences around Spain's two North African enclaves. At least 11 people were killed while attempting to get through Europe's only land border with Africa.
Spain and France plan to present a joint plan on immigration at an EU summit later this month.
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