Democratic Tsunami facts for kids
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| Formation | c. August 2019 |
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| Type |
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| Purpose |
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Region served
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Catalonia |
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Membership
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Unknown, under investigation by Spanish Authorities |
| Website | https://tsunamidemocratic.github.io/ |
Democratic Tsunami (which means Tsunami Democràtic in Catalan) is a Catalan group that organizes protests. It was formed in August 2019. The group supports the idea of self-determination for Catalonia. This means they believe people in Catalonia should be able to decide their own future.
Democratic Tsunami uses social media and special apps to connect with its supporters. They had a Telegram account with over 410,000 followers. This helped them organize large demonstrations during the 2019 Catalan Protests. They also used a special Android app to help people join their events.
Contents
What Democratic Tsunami Wants
Democratic Tsunami has clear goals. They want freedom for people who were jailed or exiled because of their political views. They also want to protect basic rights for everyone. A main goal is for Catalonia to decide its own future.
After a big court case involving Catalan leaders, the group made a statement. Famous football manager Pep Guardiola read it. They spoke about the importance of gathering peacefully and speaking freely. They also believe everyone deserves a right to a fair trial.
The group wants Catalonia to have a vote on its future. This would be similar to votes held in Quebec or Scotland. They also ask other countries to support talks and respect for Catalonia's wishes.
Democratic Tsunami believes in civil disobedience. This means peacefully refusing to obey certain laws or demands. They always promote nonviolence in their actions.
How Democratic Tsunami Acts
Early Actions
One of the group's first big actions was a protest at Barcelona Airport. This caused many problems and led to over 100 flights being cancelled. The group supports taking over government buildings and other protest acts. The Spanish government has spoken out against these actions.
The group's actions were similar to protests in Hong Kong. Protesters there also took over a main airport. Democratic Tsunami used similar words, telling people to "add up like drops of water." This means many small actions can become a big force. The group quickly became one of the main organizers of the 2019 Catalan Protests.
Who is Behind the Group?
No one from Democratic Tsunami has publicly shared their identity. The group says it is not connected to other pro-independence groups or political parties. They say their name comes from something a jailed Catalan leader, Jordi Cuixart, once said.
They strongly believe in non-violence. Instead, they support "mass civil disobedience." This means many people peacefully refusing to follow rules they disagree with.
Some news reports suggest the group started in August 2019. This was after a meeting in Switzerland. Important Catalan leaders like Quim Torra and Carles Puigdemont were said to be there. The Associated Press reported a similar start in July 2019.
The Protest App
Democratic Tsunami created a special mobile app. People could download it directly onto their Android phones. The app helped organize small groups of supporters. These groups would carry out protests across Catalonia.
The app allowed Democratic Tsunami to guide protesters. They said it kept users' locations private to avoid tracking by police. To use the app, people needed a special QR code. This helped prevent others from joining without permission. Users could also invite only one other person. This helped keep the group secure. On October 17, 2019, the group announced that 15,000 people had activated the app.
Government Response
In October 2019, a Spanish judge ordered some of the group's websites to be shut down. Democratic Tsunami quickly moved its homepage to a new address. They also shared ways for people to "avoid Spanish censorship."
Spain's interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said authorities were investigating the group. They wanted to find out who was behind it. There were questions about whether Carles Puigdemont was involved. The group did not comment on this. Puigdemont denied it and said he did not know the organizers.
Spain asked GitHub to remove the Democratic Tsunami app. GitHub agreed and removed it.
See also
- Trial of Catalonia independence leaders
