The various spokespersons of the left, supported by the PNV, were directly pointing out Vox – and some also the PP as an “accomplice” – for encouraging harassment and attacks on talk shows and information professionals. The PSOE had brought a statement to the weekly plenary session of Congress this Tuesday to urge the Government to defend freedom of expression and express the Chamber’s support for the public media. The ultras were not even fazed by the accusations. His deputy Manuel Mariscal came out in defense of the agitator Vito Quiles, whose practices and whom the television analyst Sarah Santaolalla . Mariscal reduced it to a kind of prank on the part of “a kid who asks uncomfortable questions.”
The socialists were unable to recruit either the PP or Junts for their declaration. Both groups focused on the Government, to which they attributed the intention to control the content of social networks. And they overlooked the harassment and threats reported by left-wing commentators such as Santaolalla herself or Laura Arroyo, who followed the debate from the guest gallery.
“You are not alone,” the socialist deputy Antidio Fagúndez encouraged them from the speakers’ lectern. After denouncing hate speech in the media and networks, Fagúndez warned the PP: “Who are you going to be with, with the victims or with the accusers? Are you going to be with democracy or?” The popular Aurora Nacarino completely ignored that location and consumed all her time attacking the Government. He argued that this aims to silence critical media by calling them “pseudomedia or fachosphere.” He also disqualified initiatives to stop hate speech: “You are going to point out what is good hate and what is bad hate.”
Junts, since its break with the PSOE, has often aligned itself with the state-level right on economic and citizen security issues. More surprising was that on this issue his underlying speech also coincided on many points with that of the popular ones. Deputy Pilar Calvo criticized the laws announced to regulate the content of networks and limit: “They are dangerous instruments that can be used to limit dissent.” Calvo used a fictional political exercise to ask himself if the Government would use such repressive means against the independentistas during the days of the process. “155 yeses,” she answered herself. These allusions outraged the ERC spokesperson, Gabriel Rufián, who attacked: “You need to have the nerve to come and mix that with Puigdemont and 1-O.”
The groups that support the Government linked the harassment and threats to analysts and informants with the stridency of certain opposition speeches. Mertxe Aizpurua, from EH Bildu, denounced the “degree of rudeness, insults and disqualifications” that prevail in Congress. Joseba Agirretxea, from the PNV, considered that these violent attitudes respond to “direct or subtle appeals by political leaders.” Néstor Rego, from the BNG, and Àgueda Micó, from Compromís, took the opportunity to denounce that the PP prevents free information. For Sumar, deputy Tesh Sidi came out in defense of the usefulness of social networks as an instrument of “democratization of access to information”, but pressured the Government to expedite the laws that would allow “punishment” of the bad practices of the platforms.
Several of the participants emphasized that attacks occur more often against women. “This is not a coincidence, it is a pattern, because we are women, feminists and leftists,” said Ione Belarra, from Podemos. Rufián drew applause from all the left-wing parties when he commented: “They have attacked me and insulted me, but they have never told me that I am here for a sexual favor.” The ERC spokesperson ended with a warning to the PP: “They are feeding a beast that one day will eat them. In fact, it is already eating them.”
