Spain: Bilbao protest demands release of ETA's ill prisoners

Thousands of people rallied through the streets of Bilbao, Friday during a demonstration calling for the release of 11 ETA members who are currently in prison despite being seriously ill. The demonstration, called by relatives and friend of the prisoners, took place during the main day of Bilbao’s “Aste Nagusia” (Great Week), a traditional festival. It had the support of several Basque political organisations such as Sortu, EH Bildu and Sare. ETA, an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (Basque Country and Freedom) was an armed Basque nationalist and separatist group which operated in northern Spain and southwestern France. Created in 1959 during Franco’s dictatorship to promote Basuqe culture, it later became a paramilitary group that aimed to secure independence for the Basque Country. On October 20, 2011, ETA announced a "definitive cessation of its armed activity."