Two-wheeled protest over ‘unjust’ arrest of forestry brigade workers
By:thinkSPAIN , Sunday, July 19, 2009
A COLLEAGUE of seven forestry brigade workers who are implicated in the inferno that killed 11 firemen in Guadalajara in 2005 plans to ride 1,800 kilometres across Spain in solidarity with them. Javier Martínez, 41, who works for the regional environmental management organisation Geacam, considers it ‘very unjust’ that seven of his colleagues who attended the scene to put out the flames are being tried for negligent homicide. The fire is thought to have been started by a group of 20 walkers who started a barbecue that got out of control. They are also facing trial for the deaths of the firemen. Javier, originally from Asturias but who has lived in Toledo for 12 years, will ride from his home city to Santiago de Compostela (Galicia) as a form of protest. He says he will use existing rural footpaths, and in particular routes that form part of the pilgrims’ way to the city. “We’re all in the same boat; any one of us could become involved in a similar case. “These people are being treated as murderers…but they did the best they could in order to save lives and prevent loss. “But accidents happen, and this was a fatal accident.” Javier intends to cover the journey in a fortnight, travelling 120 kilometres a day. His wife says she is worried about him exerting himself to this extent. But she has set up a blog site in support of her husband’s mission, which she says is ‘a very worthy cause’.
A COLLEAGUE of seven forestry brigade workers who are implicated in the inferno that killed 11 firemen in Guadalajara in 2005 plans to ride 1,800 kilometres across Spain in solidarity with them.
