Spokespersons for the Basque political party Batasuna have promised to fight a judge’s recent order to suspend its activities. Judge Baltasar Garzon’s recent ruling outlaws public rallies in support of Batasuna, closes all of its offices in Spain, and freezes its financial assets. Batasuna lawyer Jone Goirizeleaia stated that the party might attempt to appeal the government’s action in the European Court of Human Rights, citing the court’s recent ruling against Turkey’s decision to ban a Kurdish political party for suspected terrorist ties. Meanwhile police moved to close the party’s offices in several Spanish cities. Twenty protestors were reported injured in confrontations with police in Bilbao.
