Victory: Spain Must Repay 1 Million Covid Fines, First Lockdown Ruled Unconstitutional

The Spanish government has set up a special task force to reimburse or cancel more than a million fines issued to citizens during the first illegal coronavirus lockdown. The decision comes following the July ruling of the Spanish Constitutional Court, which declared the socialist governments’ oppressive lockdown measures unconstitutional.

On March 14 of 2020, an illegal “state of emergency” was declared by socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez by royal decree. State, regional and local police forces were given the power to fine those who did not comply with the strict lockdown measures. In addition, the country must repay a total of 1,142,127 fines illegally issued between March 14 and June 21.

According to TVE,

The ruling said that the limitations on movement violated citizens´ basic rights and therefore the state of emergency was insufficient to give them constitutional backing. The six magistrates said that a state of exception, which does allow the government to suspend basic rights, would have been necessary.”

Vox Party Fights Spain’s Socialist Government’s Lockdown

In mid-July, the court ruled that the lockdown imposed by the Spanish government was unconstitutional. The case was brought by Spain’s only conservative party, Vox. However, the media and left-wing parties relentlessly demonized and ridiculed Vox for taking the case to court on behalf of Spanish citizens.

The party leader, Santiago Abascal, took to Twitter after the decision of the High Court. “The greatest violation of rights in history was unconstitutional,” Abascal wrote on this social network. “The unconstitutionality of the general confinement of the population agreed by decree by the Government of Pedro Sánchez in March 2020,” summarizes the leader of Vox.

“Only Vox voted against. Only Vox appealed to the Constitutional Court to defend the rights and freedoms of the Spanish,” proclaimed Abascal.

In addition, he stressed that his party is the only one that opposes a government “installed in illegality in the abuse of power”  and which he describes as “illegitimate” but also believes that  “tramples the Constitution with the support of all parties.”

Solo VOX presentó una moción de censura contra este gobierno ilegítimo que pisotea la constitución con el apoyo de todos los partidos.

Solo VOX hace frente a un gobierno ilegítimo instalado ya en la ilegalidad y en el abuso de poder.

— Santiago Abascal 🇪🇸 (@Santi_ABASCAL) July 14, 2021

The Vox leader has called on the embattled PM Sanchez to resign. “We are not here to celebrate; we sentence, we cannot do so because it has been found that the Government is willing to violate the laws and trample the Constitution,” explained the leader of Vox.

Draconian Lockdown Measures

The court took into consideration the intensity and severity of the lockdown’s limitations on citizens. Spaniards were only allowed to take to the streets for groceries or work, which was deemed essential. For several weeks, people could not go outside to exercise or walk their dogs. The state prohibited all social encounters, even with relatives. 

According to Summit News,

In one case, police were called after a neighbor spotted two brothers playing soccer in their own back yard.

Spain’s lockdown laws were so draconian that at one point authorities briefly told citizens that wearing masks while swimming in the sea was mandatory.

For many months during hot weather, wearing masks in every outdoor setting, even on beaches, was compulsory.

People were also issued fines of €2,000 euros for “disrespecting” a police officer during lockdown.

Numerous instances of police beating people for not wearing masks also emerged, while protesters at one point freed a woman from police arrest while cops were trying to handcuff her for not wearing a face covering.

As a result of the lockdown being declared unlawful, the Spanish government may face multiple lawsuits from individuals and businesses. Many citizens suffered undue hardships due to the government’s oppressive and unconstitutional lockdown.

Court Still Must Rule on Second lockdown

The Constitutional Court will also soon determine the legality or illegality of the second “state of emergency” from October 25, 2020, to June 9. More than 200,000 fines were issued during the second lockdown.

Spain’s Vox party demonstrates it is possible to challenge and win against governments’ grotesque and unconstitutional lockdowns. The conservative party’s constitutional challenge and victory must inspire all freedom-loving citizens to follow suit. It is time for citizens to take back their fundamental rights and liberties from power-hungry left-wing governments that never had the right to take them away.