Vitoria massacre facts for kids

On March 3, 1976, a sad event happened in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city in the Basque Country, Spain. Police used tear gas to force striking workers out of the San Francisco de Asís church. As the workers left, police shot at them. Five people died, and 150 were hurt by gunshots. The police themselves later called this event a "massacre." This tragic day inspired the famous song Campanades a morts by Lluís Llach.

The Vitoria Events of 1976

What Happened on March 3, 1976?

In January 1976, about six thousand workers went on strike. They were protesting new rules that limited how much their wages could increase. They also wanted better working conditions. Two months later, they called for a third general strike, which many people joined on March 3.

On that day, many workers were gathered inside the Church of San Francisco in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The Armed Police Corps entered the church. They asked the workers to leave. The priest did not want them to enter. Also, an agreement between the Catholic Church and the Spanish Government said police should not enter churches by force.

Despite this, the police used tear gas inside the crowded church. Workers started to suffocate and tried to escape. As they came out, the Spanish police beat them and shot at them.

Four young men were shot and died right away: Pedro María Martínez Ocio (27), Francisco Aznar Clemente (17), Romualdo Barroso Chaparro (19), and José Castillo (32). Another person, Bienvenido Pereda, died later from his injuries. Hundreds more were hurt, many with gunshot wounds.

Who Was Involved?

After the events, important government officials visited some of the injured workers. These included Manuel Fraga Iribarne, who was the Home Minister, and Rodolfo Martín Villa, the Minister of Unions. They tried to make the situation seem less serious. However, the leader of a big German political party, the Social Democratic Party, canceled a meeting with Fraga that same week.

Effects of the Events

How Did This Change Things?

The Vitoria events made the groups that wanted democracy in Spain work together more closely. Two main groups, the Democratic Junta of Spain and the Platform of Convergence, joined together on March 26. This new group was called the Democratic Coordination.

This new group put more pressure on the government. They demanded that political prisoners be freed, that workers could form unions freely, and that Spain become a democracy. They said the government's changes were not real reforms. Many people believe Manuel Fraga Iribarne and Rodolfo Martín Villa were responsible for the massacre.

The events also showed that the Catholic Church was no longer supporting the dictatorship. In fact, the Church was starting to support the workers' demands.

Remembering the Victims

Years later, people continued to seek justice and recognition for the victims. In 2006, a law called the Law of Historical Memory was passed. This law recognized the victims of the Vitoria events as victims of the dictatorship. This was important, even though the events happened a few months after Francisco Franco's death in November 1975.

However, by 2008, no one had been held politically responsible. The main Conservative Party in Spain did not want Manuel Fraga or Rodolfo Martín Villa to answer questions about what happened.

On March 3, 2006, the singer Lluís Llach sang his famous song Campanades a Mort in Vitoria-Gasteiz. This song was inspired by the massacre. In 2016, the mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz tried to honor Llach by making him an "adopted son" of the city. But some local council members from other political parties stopped this from happening.

The Police Recording

A police recording of the events was later found. It showed that the police knew exactly what was happening. It also showed that they had planned to shoot the workers. This recording shocked many people in Spain and other countries.

Images for kids

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  Homage to the dead in 2014.

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