Teachers from Catalonia and the Valencian Country blocked the N-340 near Vinaròs on Thursday morning, in a protest that brought a local education dispute to the border area between the two regions.
Around 200 educators from Terres de l'Ebre and Baix Maestrat took part in the action, which began at 8:30am near Alcanar, in Montsià. Participants set up a tent and shared a breakfast that included paella and local sausages, known as baldanes, on the road itself.
The demonstration was held under the slogan, “Lo Sénia is NOT a border” (Lo Sénia NO és frontera). Teachers said they were pressing shared demands, including education in Catalan, better pay, more resources for public education, and the resignation of the education ministers for Catalonia, Esther Niubó, and the Valencian Country, Carmen Ortí.
The Guardia Civil monitored the protest with several patrols in the area. The action formed part of the tenth day of protests organised in Catalonia by unions including USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT and Intersindical. On Thursday, those territorial actions were focused on Tarragona and the Terres de l'Ebre.
Later on Thursday, educational staff from Terres de l'Ebre were due to continue the mobilisation in Tortosa with two columns of protesters. One group, from Baix Ebre, Terra Alta and Ribera d'Ebre, was set to leave from Escola Cinta Curto, while another, from Montsià, was due to start at Escola Sant Llàtzer.
Both groups were expected to meet at Plaça del Mercat before marching through the city. The actions followed a sectoral meeting on Wednesday that ended without agreement, although talks were due to continue on Thursday and Friday. For more Catalonia-wide coverage, see our news page.
