Photos: Sergio Betancort
More than 5,000 people took to the streets this Saturday on the eight islands to hold hands, form a human chain, and "demonstrate that they have enough energy to fight for a new energy model for the Canary Islands and to stop oil exploration."
The Avenida Marítima of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has become the scene of a human chain formed by almost 5,000 people. After the chain, a manifesto has been read that includes the main demands and reasons for this mobilization organized by Ben Magec – Ecologistas en Acción and the Platform for a New Energy Model for the Canary Islands. The day will continue until late at night in the esplanade of the Muelle Deportivo where there will be workshops, performances and a concert with committed artists such as Arístides Moreno, El Colorao or Pitu, among others.
In Los Llanos de Aridane, in La Palma, they started the day early to distribute a '0' bib against oil exploration, taking advantage of the fact that the Transvulcania is being held this Saturday. Afterwards, they read the campaign manifesto and formed the human chain of almost 200 people.
In Tenerife, the scene of the human chain has been the dike of the port of Puerto de la Cruz. There, numerous organizations, associations and citizen groups have supported the hundred people who have joined hands to continue the human chain.
Shortly afterwards, in El Hierro, they also took to the streets with a banner that read 'No oil companies, yes to renewables', thus taking the claim to the westernmost island of the archipelago.
At 12 noon it was the turn to hold hands in Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Lanzarote and La Graciosa. The eighth island has also had a small participation of people.
In Lanzarote, about two hundred people have gathered at Playa del Reducto, in Arrecife, to ensure that the human chain reaches the easternmost island of the archipelago.
In La Gomera, a hundred people have gathered on Avenida de los Descubridores, in San Sebastián de La Gomera.
In Fuerteventura, the event will be this afternoon, starting at 4 pm, on the beach avenue of the coastal municipality of Gran Tarajal. They will start with workshops, performances and a solar cooking demonstration to end up forming a human chain at around six in the afternoon.
With this act, Ben Magec – Ecologistas en Acción and the Px1NMEC wanted to "contribute to the mobilization of citizens in a matter that affects us all, such as the fight to stop climate change and the defense of the future of the islands based on a new energy model".
"The exceptional natural conditions of the archipelago make possible a truly sustainable new energy model that could become a global paradigm against climate change", they added.
Finally, the organization informs that "in order to take this proposal to Europe, photographs have been taken of the human chains of all the islands that will be printed on a giant canvas and that will travel to Europe as soon as parliamentary activity resumes after the elections of May 25".
