Investigative article on the 1978 bombing of the Scala nightclub in Barcelona and the involvement of anti-anarchist state agent Joaquin Gambin.
The Scala nightclub on fire
In PDF format.
From Anarchy magazine, issue #38, 1985. Scanned by libcom.org
Attachments
Scala.pdf
(7.45 MB)
Comments
The Scala fire was a
The Scala fire was a tremendous set-back for the CNT-AIT as an organization.....and a human tradegy for the workers who were killed. The CNT-AIT was gaining organizational strength in the years following its post-Franco above ground work. La Sacla created a scare and a repression that hit the CNT-AIT hard.
Thanks for posting this article.
Yes, it was a very important
Yes, it was a very important event. The CNT after Franco's death mushroomed greatly, with up to half a million members joining by around 1977 I believe.
The Scala bombing was a big part of the state's attempt to break the organisation, and unfortunately did help galvanise what became a very vicious split in the organisation which was one of the main reasons for its situation today, having fewer than 10,000 members (5000?).
This article doesn't contain much about the relevance of this bombing to the fate of the CNT, but it does analyse the role of the state in it well.
On the bombing itself, it was obviously a frame-up, firstly because that would not be an anarchosyndicalist tactic, and secondly because the people killed were CNT members working at the nightclub, and even if the CNT were crazy terrorists why would they want to blow up their own members?
I thought it was important to scan this because I had a look round the internet and could not find a single article or mention of it anywhere!
Comrade, I believe your
Comrade, I believe your numbers are off (said in a friendly manner). The CNT was able to attract large numbers in the immediate post-Franco period, for sure. More to follow.