Far-right party demonstration fails to garner support

21 January 2008

MADRID – A far-right party hoping to bring at least a thousand people onto the streets of Madrid to protest against immigration failed to gather more than 180 for a controversial march on Sunday.

Manuel Canduela, the leader of the xenophobic National Democracy party, nonetheless described the demonstration as a "success" after it ended without incident despite fears of racist violence. Protestors, many of them young, shouted xenophobic slogans and demanded the expulsion of immigrants. "This is our land, we have to defend it," was a commonly heard phrase from the marchers, many of whom waved Spanish flags.

The march was banned by authorities last Monday although it was allowed to go ahead after a court ruled in favour of National Democracy.

Subject: Spanish news