ManiFiestAcción – 2017 May in Madrid

Last Sunday May 28 was held in Madrid the great Mani · Fiesta · Acción, a historic mass march to vindicate the authorities that it is time to approve a comprehensive and responsible regulation of Cannabis. According to data from the organization itself, an estimated 25,000 people participated in this event, which was joined by civil society (collaborating companies, volunteers and activists), associations, artists and political representatives, to support all initiatives that They have launched in favor of the Regulation of Marijuana, and in which there was no problem of public order, despite the thousands of people concentrated.

Our colleagues María and Dani went to Madrid to experience the different events that took place throughout the weekend, on behalf of Alchimia, one of the sponsoring companies of this unique event for the entire cannabis scene.

In this article we tell you how this experience has been, in which we want to highlight the good treatment received by the organization, as well as its delivery to carry out an event of this magnitude. Bernardo Soriano, member of Responsible Regulation and lawyer at S & F Abogados, was in charge of assisting us and offering us all the necessary information to cover the event.

What is the ManiFiestaAcción?

These are the bases of the ManiFiestaAcción, an organization that takes into account the entire cannabis movement, and that supports a regulation based on “The 5 pillars of Cannabis”:

1. That includes all the people who use it and that recognizes all the realities.
2. The self-cultivation.
3. The Cannabis Social Clubs.
4. Access in the commercial circuit.
5. Access to Medicinal Cannabis.

These are the three objectives of La ManiFiestaAcción:

• Claim individual and collective rights of cannabis users.
• Recognize the work of the commercial sector and the industry linked to cannabis as an economic engine, generator of employment.
• Remember that the humble seed is the basis of the cannabis industry.

Alchimia was in the ManiFiestaAcción

• 26 Friday:

As a previous act to the ManiFiestaAcción, in the Association dosemociones a press conference was offered announcing the Sunday demonstration (with little presence of the media), but the organizers expected that it would be a successful participation.

In these acts of the ManiFiestaAccion the president of dosemociones Carola Pérez could not be present, who is also the president of the Spanish Observatory of Medicinal Cannabis (OECM). The same Friday had to go through the operating room, to undergo an operation that we know that evolves favorably. A very special greeting to Carola, who from Alchimia has our full support, and we wish her to improve soon …: *

The statement of ManiFiestaAcción was delivered in the different venues of the majority political parties in Spain (PP, PSOE, Podemos, Ciudadanos and IU), which received it and sealed the delivery. From the organization, remember that this is not an annual demonstration and will continue to provide documentation of all kinds, while waiting for responses from these political parties to this statement that presented.

• 27 Saturday:

We were invited to join the ManiFiestaBus with whom we did a tour of the city, collecting images together with the other habitual companions of the cannabis press. Right there, Hugo Madera, director of the Soft Secrets magazine, excited by how the events were going and the support received and by the expectation generated for the main event on Sunday, explained, among other points, how priority is to obtain a specific heading for the GrowShops, and that to this day is still non-existent.

• 28 Sunday:

The big day has arrived. From 7:00 am the production team installed an enormous stage in the heart of Madrid, in the Plaza del Sol, worthy of any great music festival of our country.

The organization traveled to the station of Atocha, to await the arrival at 12.30 pm of the deputy Juan Ignacio Moreno Yagüe (Podemos Andalusia) who was received with the ManiFiestaBus to accompany him to the Plaza del Sol. The bus was parked in a privileged area , to take positions, and become the space for the press and sponsors: the backstage, where they mingled with the organizers, participating politicians and artists.

Everything was ready, with good music and very animated people began the first acts of protest, while the atmosphere in the square was increasing. Bernardo Soriano made the presentation of the different collaborating artists, associations such as Cannabis Women, which thrilled all the attendees, and of the politicians of the majority parties that support the Cannabis integral regulation while tirelessly reminding attendees of the signature for the cause.

The square was crowded with people and Fyahbwoy was one of the featured artists, in charge of closing the act right at the scheduled time (21.00h). With his music, his words and his vindictive energy, the audience enjoyed the most festive moment of the day.

Representatives who participated in the ManiFiestaAcción

• Ramón Morcillo. Member of the Promoting Board of the Popular Legislative Initiative “Your role matters”. 
• Bernardo Soriano. Spokesperson for Responsible Regulation and lawyer at S & F Abogados.
• Eduardo Van den Eynde (PP), (Not supported by his party in Madrid) Spokesman of his party in Cantabria, and promoter of the Proposition No of Law (PNL) of cannabis regulation in his community. For health reasons, his speech, recorded on video, was broadcast during the event.
• Noemí de la Calle (Ciudadanos): Deputy in the Parliament of Catalonia, and Spokesperson for Social Affairs and Equality.
• Iñaki Álvaro Lavandera (PSOE): Spokesman for his party in the Canary Islands, and promoter of the autonomous PNL on the Regulation.
• Miguel Vila (Unidos Podemos): Deputy in the Congress for the province of Burgos, and member of the CCE of Ahora Podemos.
• Juan Ignacio Moreno Yagüe (Unidos Podemos): Third Vice President of the Junta de Andalucía, and promoter of the Andalusian Proposition No de Ley.
• Jorge García Castaño (Unidos Podemos): Councilman of the City Council of Madrid, responsible for the Municipal Boards of the Center and Chamberí.

Success of the ManiFiestaAcción

If you were not able to attend the ManiFiestaAcción, you can consult the next collection points, register in Your role matters and share it with your friends. From the organization, they invite us to spread this event to make the maximum diffusion helping the Regulation become a reality.

This is the message transmitted from the Board of Directors:

“It is common work to transmit to society that now is the time for this comprehensive regulation of cannabis, we will continue our advocacy work and ask for maximum support in the dissemination. The ManiFiestaAcción del 28 was a success. We have taken people to the street. Those who attended will never forget this event and will always carry it in their hearts. Now we keep walking. “

The impressions that we took once upon his return from the ManiFiestaAcción de Madrid, is that there are many people who move, who organize themselves, who fight tirelessly, who do not give up and who after each trip get up to continue fighting for what they believe. Stop treating us as criminals and that a Regulation is possible, unless it becomes a right for people to be able to choose their own path and how to alleviate their ailments.

It is a little disappointing to live these moments that we feel so important in the capital, and that the media have not echoed it. We who were there, we get the desire and the intention to get very far, with or without support!