Spanish antimilitarists face huge fines for nonviolent actions

MOC Valencia – an antimilitarist group in Spain - are facing fines of nearly €45,000 as a consequence of nonviolent actions they have taken over the last year.

In December 2023, two clowns threw pink paint over each other while standing on top of a tank that was on display at the Expojove youth fair in Valencia. The long-running campaign has pushed for the ending of the military’s presence at the event, which is held over Christmas each year. The activists have been charged with damaging the tank with their home made paint and “serious insult” to the military. The fines for the pink tank action could be as high as €44,000.
 https://www.elsaltodiario.com/antimilitarismo/anitimilitaristas-protestan-militarizacion-feria-infantil-expojove-valencia

Earlier, in May 2023, the same group dropped a banner from an historic monument in Sagunto Port alerting the public to the docking of a civilian ship which was carrying weapons from the US to Saudia Arabia. As a consequence of the banner drop, the group are facing a fine of €4,400.

When the same ship tried to dock again more recently, the clown army tried to deliver some of the paint they used to disarm the tank at Expojove!

Solidarity

• Stay up to date with the MOC Valencia by following them on their website, X, Facebook and Instagram.  
• You can also contribute financially to help MOC to continue their nonviolent direct action against war and pay these fines by visiting their website: https://mocvalencia.org/colabora-con-el-moc-valencia/

WRI stands in solidarity with MOC Valencia, and condemns the criminalisation of their nonviolent actions. We will continue to share updates on the MOC Valencia’s legal process.