The Democratic Memory Law expressly prohibits the display of any type of Francoist symbols in public places. This includes the controversial stall held Tuesday at the market in Toledo’s Santa Teresa neighborhood. Next to the stalls selling fruit, clothing or other types of products, there was one filled with pre-constitutional flags, Falange flags, magnets, mugs, bracelets and imitations of street signs bearing the names and faces of Franco and Primo de Rivera. A veritable orchard for those nostalgic for the dictatorship and Francoism, where photographs of the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, with the flag of Spain and the phrase “I love fruit” are also displayed.
Economic promotion advisor Juan Marin, from the Vox party, confirms that the 96th position, after the recent allocation of market stalls, “is in compliance with the regulations”, or so it was conveyed, he points out, by the technicians of the municipal district that supervises street vending and the local police themselves. “As far as I know, selling these products is not illegal,” Marin explained to SER Toledo. The mayor confirms that the position has been going to Toledo for years, even during the administration of the former mayor and current government delegate in Castilla-La Mancha, the socialist Milagros Toulon. “The former mayor had a meeting with the technicians and the police and they told her that the facility was legal and that the sale could not be prevented,” he says.
“The flag of Spain can be sold. And so can the flag of the Falange. Whether we like it or not, it is a legal party, and they are selling pictures of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera and Franco. As far as I know this is not illegal,” Marin says, noting that the booth “has a permit to sell.” Promotion“This is not an apology per se for Franco,” he insists, “they are pictures with the words ‘Long Live the Unity of Spain’ or with the legionnaire’s shield or the cross of Saint Andrew and this, as far as I know, is not illegal.” His attendance on Tuesday was, as he expected, due to his proximity to 20 North, the date on which Franco died. In the Popular Party, the majority partner in the two municipal parties, they made similar arguments. The situation, remember, says municipal spokesman Juan José Alcalde: “He’s been coming for a long time, he’s paying his fees and getting his license.”
The presence of this station in Toledo’s “Tuesday” market has already been denounced, as reported by eldiario.es, by the IU-Vamos councilor in the Toledo City Council while addressing the city’s new street vending law. In one of its claims against the text, the group requested not to allow the sale of articles in which the Democratic Memory Law was inculcated. The request fell on deaf ears. “We wanted to prevent what was already permitted, which was the sale of products that praised fascism and Francoism. But the local government did not agree to this,” Texima Fernández denounced at the time. This Wednesday, the city council once again justified the existence of the institution. The local police spokesman confirmed that “the local police have not carried out any intervention, either now or before.”
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