February 23, 2009

Twitter revives historic coup d'etat in Spain

Per Soitu.es, Twitter revived minute by minute the historical coup d'etat, on February 23, 1981, of the Spanish government, remnants of General Francisco Franco's dictatorship. On this same day, 28 years ago, about 200 soldiers and paramilitary members of the Spanish Civil Guard stormed the lower house of the parliament, firing automatic weapons and shouting for a new government.

During Franco's quasi-fascist government all cultural activities were subject to censorship and many were plainly forbidden on various grounds (political or moral). Today this Twitter profile, @23f, provided a space to share thoughts and historical facts about what happened in real time. Here are just some of the many 23-f tweets:

@23f: 23:00 Sigue la ocupación militar en Valencia. Carros de combate y efectivos militares siguen en puntos neurálgicos del casco urbano (23:00 Follow the military occupation in Valencia. Tanks and troops remain in key areas of urban)


22:45 Hay policías con metralletas en tejados y guardias civiles ocupan lugares estratégicos de la ciudad. La radio emite músicas militares...(22:45 There are policemen with guns on roofs and civil guards occupy strategic locations in the city. The radio broadcast military music ...)

@brujodoncarlos Tan claro tienes que el golpe fracasará? Yo lo quiero ver (clear that the coup have failed? I want to see)

21:33 Contestación de un guardia civil en la tribuna de prensa: '¿Democracia? ¿Para qué? ¿Para que sigan matando a nuestros compañeros?'...(21:33 Response of a civil guard in the press gallery: "Democracy? Why? So they continue killing our fellow ?'...)

21:10 '...La tranquilidad es total y no se pueden difundir noticias contrarias a las que son verdaderas, que son las aquí relatadas.' (21:10 "... The peace is absolute and can not be contrary to the news that are true, which are reported here.")

Mi tia me ha enviado esta otra foto http://23-f.com/mas-tanques Tenéis fotos para pasar? Algún video de móvil? (My aunt sent me this other photo http://23-f.com/mas-tanques you have pictures to pass? Some mobile phone video?)

Here are some reactions to the project from Twitter users:

@verowhite (Sevilla, Spain): @23f Me ha gustado mucho el trabajo que habéis hecho. Yo no había nacido, así que no pude experimentar lo que fue aquello. Felicidades! (@23f I liked the work they have done. I was not born, so I could not experience what it was. Congratulations!)



@ma_garcia (Torrelodones, Madrid, Spain): @23f ¡Lo habéis hecho genial! Creo que esto pasará a los anales de la historia... de Twitter. Y en virtual todo ha sido mucho más divertido! (@23f You have done great! I think this will go down the annals of history ... of Twitter. And virtually all have been much more fun!)



@jsblanch (Barcelona, Spain): @23f gracias por vuestra iniciativa, ha sido genial (@23f thanks for your initiative, has been great)

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