A very special day

Yesterday, Spain celebrated the Dia de la Hispanidad or roughly translated, Spain Day. In Madrid, King Juan Carlos presided over a military display which for the first time included foreign troops from France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, all members, along with Spain, of Eurocorps, (the European Defence force). Some members of the Spanish fascist party or falange remembered Spain day in their own way. During the Franco years it was a very important public holiday. Flanked by police they raised their arms in the Nazi salute and sang various fascist songs. The police wearing riot gear, were on duty in force to protect the fascists from other protesters. In the Basque Country there were some minor disturbances as police clashed with students. In the Balearics, the Central Government Delegate Catalina Cirer attended a reception at the Guardia Civil barracks in Palma. She paid tribute to the work undertaken by the force and also presented medals to officers. She said that the Guardia Civil were at the forefront of the fight against crime in the Balearics. Later in the day there was a reception attended by most of the island's civic leaders. All shops were closed yesterday but they will re-open again this morning.