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Franco drums up support for Brexit demo: ‘We don’t want another 1969’

Photos courtesy of La Linea city council

In the morning rush hour on Tuesday, cross-border commuters were handed leaflets by La Linea’s mayor, Juan Franco, with a stark message: “We don’t want another 1969.”

Mr Franco, accompanied by other city councillors, was drumming up support for a mass demonstration on Friday.

The leaflets prepared by La Linea’s city council underscored the need for a UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar that guaranteed frontier fluidity vital to so many people and businesses on both sides of the border.

“We don't want another repetition of 1969, when the closure of the border plunged the city into misery,” the leaflet states, adding that the economic and social impact of ‘no deal’ “would be devastating”.

La Linea’s city council views Friday’s demonstration as “a historic march to demand an immediate solution to the serious problems affecting the city”.

A failure to reach a treaty for Gibraltar would “threaten the economic stability of thousands of families and businesses.”

“What’s at stake is not just some people’s futures, but the wellbeing and dignity of the city as a whole,” the leaflet states.

Mr Franco said the demonstration seeks to impress on negotiators the need to reach a treaty agreement as soon as possible.

But it will also call for specific contingency measures for La Linea in the event a deal cannot be reached.

The city council is also demanding investment in infrastructure for La Linea and “urgent measures” to safeguard workers, businesses and pensioners to “avoid the city being forgotten as in the past”.

Tuesday’s initiative at the border is just one of several public awareness events planned throughout the week ahead of the demonstration, which will start at 8pm on Friday departing from Plaza Fariñas and heading to the border with Gibraltar.

“The demonstration is not against anyone, but rather seeks special measures for our city to address the difficult situation we are facing,” Mr Franco said.

“There is a lot at stake.”

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