On Sunday, January 14, the Cavalcada de les Magues de gener will not be celebrated as such, a tradition from the Republican era that the left-wing Government recovered in 2016 as a secular (and protest) festival for children. The Valencia City Council – governed by PP and Vox – has denied authorization for the parade route for technical reasons due to reports against the Local Police and other City Council departments. Already in the opposition, both parties were against the City Council giving up its balcony for this celebration and giving aid to it.
A ban that the organizers have described as “censorship.” “They have not limited themselves to denying the greeting from the balcony of the City Hall, but have directly prohibited the celebration of the 14th. The municipal authorities have denied permission for the usual route, seeking to limit an activity with the official name of ‘tradition’ and that it already had all expenses covered without any public subsidy, thanks to the success of a crowdfunding that is still active and that has raised more than 6,500 euros so far, a figure that continues to increase,” explain the organizers.
According to municipal sources, the resolution issued by the Municipal Public Domain Occupation service recalls that the parade, “from the exclusive point of view of traffic and occupation of public roads”, “implies an impact on the road network” for what which requires a report from the Local Police, which claims to have “inconveniences” for its celebration.
Specifically, it highlights that it represents “the impact on the main roads of the city, especially in the historic center, with notable repercussions for users of the new EMT lines.”
In addition, it is added that “as if that were not enough, the Parade coincides with the first weekend of sales, making the proposed traffic cuts an added inconvenience for pedestrians and vehicles trying to access the city center to shop.” .
For this reason, municipal sources explain that the organizers have been asked to present a new route and have been given an alternative to study to celebrate it.
From ride to demonstration
However, the organizers have avoided this proposal and have chosen to hold “a festive and protest demonstration, against the sectarian discrimination of certain proposals.”
In no case, the same sources have clarified, will it replace the parade itself; “It is a response to its ban.” Of course, the protest, which will take place on the same day although with a different route, will include the presence of the January Magas and all the groups of volunteers that make up the party, in an assembly manner.
