The episodes of harassment against writers and journalists reflect a worrying trend that puts freedom of expression in checkevidencing how violence and threats on social networks are transferred to the streets, often supported by the speeches of some political groups. Precisely the Madrid Book Fairheld in El Retiro park from May 30 to June 15, has witnessed this scenario of increasing aggressiveness, with the far right as an uninvited protagonist.
Figures like Antonio Maestreauthor of Francoism SA and The Broken, recounted in a tweet the complicated day he experienced during the signing of his book. “I had to sign in with three members of the fair’s security and a colleague protecting the booth because he had received serious threats“, wrote.
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To fallback.
Maestre thanked the organization of the fair and Eva Orúe, its director, for the protection provided, but also highlighted a disturbing reality: “We are naturalizing that people on the left do not have freedom to hold cultural or political events.” Despite everything, Maestre made clear his commitment to never cancel his events, although he acknowledged that there are those who may feel afraid and end up giving in to this pressure.
Fonsi Loaizajournalist and author of Usual Suspects, also suffered an attack during the fair. “Today I suffered a far-right attack at my book signing shouting fucking red, faggot“, he denounced on X (formerly Twitter). The reaction of the Police, who reproached Loaiza for calling his attackers “Nazis”, underlines, in his opinion, a disturbing permissiveness towards fascism. “This is how fascism runs rampant in Spain. They will not pass!” He expressed in his message.
Likewise, the journalist Ana Bernal-Triviñocollaborator of Public and author of Federico’s journey, was also the victim of an episode of harassment. “Saturday, June 8, booth 266, 3 in the afternoon, it was raining. I finished signing my books and when there were only the cashier, a colleague from Planeta and me, A Vox voter came up to rebuke me. Then he looked for me when I came out the back“, he reported on his X account. This incident reflects what Bernal described as the new “fashion of this year” at the fair: intimidation.
Along the same lines, other names, such as Rafael Narbona, they had to face similar situations. “I consider responsible for this spiral of hatred politicians and media who send inflammatory messages against their adversaries. Vox has poisoned coexistence and the PP, with Ayuso at its head, has assumed the strategy of harassing figures on the left (…) Dehumanizing the other is always the first step to justify aggression“he wrote on his X account.
Although no incident occurred during his signing, he also had to have protection. The activist Cristina You Will Failwho often writes feminist content; Javier Gallego, presenter of Carne Cruda; either Michael Ramos, who has also theorized about the extreme right; For example, they have reported similar cases on other occasions.
Faced with this, Eva Orúe, director of the event, did not look the other way and called the attacks and threats “unacceptable.” “The Madrid Book Fair must be a safe space for those who visit us and for those of us who work here,” she declared on social networks. Although her stance and the security measures implemented were fundamental to the protection of the perpetrators, the incidents reveal the need for a broader and more systemic approach to address the growing aggressiveness of the far right.
