Tunisian Mohammed Bouazizi (March 29, 1984–January 4, 2011) lit himself on fire in protest, igniting revolts against conditions wrought by capitalism and imperialism throughout the world.

Tarek al-Tayyib Muhammad Bouazizi

On December 17, 2010 in the town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisian police demanded that Mohammed Bouazizi stop peddling produce and confiscated his groceries because he didn't have a permit to sell them. Mohammed supported his mother, uncle, and younger siblings, including paying for one of his sisters to attend university. He had been earning about $140 a month selling produce in the streets of Sidi Bouzid. He also had a goal of renting or buying a pickup truck to expand his work and income. One of his close friends described him as, "a very well-known and popular man [who] would give free fruit and vegetables to very poor families".

After losing the only work he had and no longer able to provide for his family, Mohammed lit himself on fire in the ultimate and final form of protest. He was treated for severe burns of over 90% of his body but died in a hospital 18 days later. Tunisian protests that broke out in response to Mohammed's self-immolation eventually brought down the dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia. The Tunisian police responded by firing on protestors killing some and wounding others but the demonstrations have continued.

Mohammed Bouazizi's sacrificial fire spread internationally as others followed suit by self-immolating to protest poverty and oppression in their countries. On December 22 another unemployed young man in Tunisia climbed up an electricity pylon and electrocuted himself on the cables because he couldn't survive without a job. On January 12, 1 of 2 men who set themselves on fire protesting unemployment and poverty in Egypt died. 3 more Egyptians later self-immolated for the same reasons. On January 14 a 60+ year old man protesting against joblessness and high unemployment died after setting himself on fire in his own house in Saudi Arabia. At least 4 men in Algeria followed suit, setting themselves on fire and in Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, Yacoub Ould Dahoud, 40, a company director and member of a wealthy family locked himself in his car and self-immolated in protest against government oppression of his tribe.

These literal fires spread to fires of of the heart among workers, youth, the unemployed and poor in countries throughout the region, leading to massive protests in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Palestine known as the "Arab Spring." Some of them brought down long-standing US-backed puppet dictatorships and more may yet fall. Now some are saying that the Arab Spring has spread north and westward to what is described as the "European Summer."

The European Summer has enveloped Spain with nonviolent demonstrations in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, the Andalusian capital of Seville and Malaga on the southern coast.

Roots of the Spanish protests

Protestors in Spain share similar living and work conditions with their counterparts who have risen up in the Arab States in North Africa and the Middle East - and more and more with people in other European nations and the United States. Spain has a 21% unemployment rate, a record 4.9 million without jobs, nearly half of them between the ages of 18-25.

Unemployment, hunger, abject poverty and the absence of health care and education lies beneath the surface of the uprising. The corrupt and ineffective government of President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the entire Spanish political system has left people with no alternative but to revolt. In February, 2010 the people rose up in demonstrations in 57 cities, organized by Spain's two largest unions (CCOO and UGT). President Zapatero, "pledged to listen and take into account the concerns of the unions and says he is 'convinced' that they can all come to an agreement." Zapatero's words proved as empty as the food pantries of the Spanish poor and work and living conditions have only worsened since. A few days ago, "Rolmos" a protestor in Madrid wrote to his social network about the Spanish political parties, particularly those considered to be left of center:

I'm in Madrid, and have participated in these protests both yesterday and tonight. I just got home from tonight's protests, and wanted to share my views on what caused this and why many of us are out in the streets: The PSOE (left leaning socialist party that currently governs) has let down the youth that brought it to power. We feel we've been let down by a government that was supposed to stand for more social rights, less wars (the terrorist attacks of 2004 basically catapulted the PSOE on the ballots after huge protests against the conservatives), and less corporativism. Many of us feel that the current political system disfavors any option aside from the two main parties. What sparked this? The bailing out of Spanish banks, the enormously high unemployment rate, the corruption tied to both parties, the passing of specific laws that many associate with censorship (the new anti-piracy law passed by this government) , and the fact that the recent measures by the government are not those of a left wing party, and many feel cheated. I really feel this is a struggle within this county's left, that it is sparked out of fear of either voting for the lesser of two evils or throwing away your vote. I personally know our actions will probably help the conservative party in the ballots, but if it leads to electoral reform, it'll be worth it. (Reddit)

It's noteworthy that the protests began in the closing days of the campaign for local elections which took place today. Candidates ran for mayor in 8,000 cities and towns and 13 candidates ran for regional presidents and parliaments in today's elections. Today, Reuters is reporting that President Zapatero's Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) (which is anything but socialist) is taking a beating. With 85% of the votes counted, the right-wing Popular Party has 37 percent of the total municipal vote with Zapatero's party trailing by 9 percentage points. But as Rolmos wrote, the objective is not to elect another corrupt political party; rather it's to change the system: "I personally know our actions will probably help the conservative party in the ballots, but if it leads to electoral reform, it'll be worth it." Rolmos sounds like many people who have become disillusioned about the political structures in the United States, Europe and other countries.

Protests continue

The protests in Spain have continued for 6 days and 25,000 defied a government ban against public assembly, occupying a square in Central Madrid yesterday, May 21. Surprise, surprise! On May 20 Reuters reported,

"Tens of thousands of Spaniards angry over joblessness protested for a sixth day on Friday in cities all over the country, and the government looked unlikely to enforce a ban on the demonstrations, fearing clashes."

Who has the power? We have the power.

The BBC says their reporter, Sarah Rainsford in Madrid, told BBC's home office that Spain has never seen "such a spontaneous display of protest" in its history. The current protests are an enhanced replay of last year's protests organized by the workers, which then quickly drew a crowd of 70,000 to protest in Madrid. It's worth noting that the corporate media and Fernando Fernandez of the IE Business School in Madrid downplayed the role of the workers in the 2010 protests:

"The movement does not appear to be linked to the unions or political parties, the traditional protest heavyweights in Spain, said Economist Fernando Fernandez of the IE Business School in Madrid. 'I think we really don't know what we're seeing,' Fernandez said. 'This is the very beginning of a new movement. I don't expect it to become a very large social response or protest against the unemployment perspective in Spain'."

He didn't expect it but within hours, thousands of protestors entered Madrid's Central Plaza as they are now doing in 2011. The Western Media is still trying to get on top of it's game by denying the role of workers in these protests and instead calling them youth movements (spread via social networks) just as they described the workers' protests and strikes in Egypt. Either way, the western political establishments are foolish to think that "the problem will go away" if ignored - or if they think it can be permanently be repressed by presidential bans, permanent war, an obedient capitalist media and police violence. Now, 15 months later, the 2010 protests are back with force and the western regimes from Washington to Barcelona, Paris, London and Berlin face collapsing economies, failing capitalism, ever growing social unrest and ultimately, revolt.

The Arab fire that has spread to Europe and the current protests in Spain, depicted in the video and photos below, are igniting more protests in England, France, Portugal, Greece and Germany. Even the people who have taken to the streets and occupied government buildings in Madison, Wisconsin and Colombus, Ohio have cited the Arab Spring as the source of their inspiration to revolt against the beast that has brought misery to so many in the United States. Little did Mohammed Bouazizi know that his final act of protest would alight the dry tinder of oppression, unemployment, low wages, hunger, homelessness, poor health and poverty and inflame the world to rise up against the tyranny of the world's wealthy ruling class.

BIO AND MORE ESSAYS AND POETRY BY LES BLOUGH

A Channel 4 News video of the current protests in Spain

A Defiant 'Spanish Revolution'

The following photos by various photographers and news agencies were published with related text by The Atlantic with Alan Taylor.
March 21, 2011

Since May 15, residents of many cities around Spain have been demonstrating against the country's ongoing financial crisis, its politicians, and its bankers. The spontaneous protests are the largest since the country plunged into recession in 2008, and they're made up mainly of young people who have set up camps in main squares across the country. Called "los indignados" (the indignant), the May 15 Movement, or simply 15-M, they are fueled by frustration with austerity measures, apparent indifference from politicians, and serious joblessness. Spain's unemployment rate for those under 25 stood at 43.5 percent as of February -- the highest youth unemployment rate in the 27-nation European Union. As Spain enters an election weekend, this collection focuses on some recent scenes of dissent from around the country. [44 photos (updated late 5/20)]