© Richard HuangWhile out shopping in Madrid, I noticed that the police were closing off the road. A photographer’s instinct told me that unless some dignitary was about to pass through, something big must be about to happen. Photography textbooks also teach that a good news photograph should make the time and place clear. So I squeezed my way forward in search of a strong backdrop and waited for events to unfold.
© Richard HuangThe fountains and statues at Madrid’s intersections make excellent backdrops for establishing where a photograph was taken. Just as I reached the crossroads, the procession came past.
© Richard HuangThe turnout was not especially large—several hundred people or so. Many wore yellow placards on their chests bearing the words “Agenda 2030.” That was clearly what the march was about. The group proceeded peacefully in one direction.
© Richard HuangBy coincidence, just half an hour earlier and less than a kilometre away, I had taken this photograph outside a government ministry precisely because of Agenda 2030. I have looked into the subject in some depth, so its emblem immediately caught my eye. The ministry was evidently the marchers’ destination as well. One side was promoting the agenda and the other opposing it, revealing a profound divide between the authorities and the public. As a mere bystander, I will offer neither discussion nor judgment here, though I do suggest reading more about it. It concerns everyone’s future, which is why so many people were willing to take to the streets.
© Richard HuangOnce the marchers had passed, the street briefly fell quiet again, and we resumed our shopping. Then, farther ahead, we encountered another road closure. Judging by the number of police officers and vehicles deployed, the main event was still to come.
© Richard HuangThis was an entirely separate march, unrelated to the first—and its scale was something else altogether: a sea of people beneath a blaze of red flags.
© Richard HuangThe march comprised different contingents from different organisations, each with flags of its own colours and bearing its own slogans.
© Richard HuangSome had brought umbrellas to add to the atmosphere. The sky was overcast that day, so if it did start raining, they would come in handy. (SATSE is Spain’s nationwide nursing union.)
© Richard HuangThe crowd filled the entire avenue, one block of colour following another. It was quite a sight.
© Richard HuangSome contingents banged gongs and drums, sang songs and chanted slogans, their spirits running high. It was thoroughly entertaining too.
© Richard HuangOthers had brought their dogs along, combining the march with a leisurely walk. (UGT is Spain’s General Union of Workers.)
© Richard HuangStill others had arranged to come with a few close colleagues or friends, taking the opportunity to stroll and chat. The sign appeared to be calling for an end to bullfighting.
© Richard HuangQuite a few people had brought their children as well. This father and son looked especially spirited, so I went over and asked whether I could take their picture. They readily obliged, and the encounter stayed with me: civic education should begin in childhood, so that children grow up with the enthusiasm and confidence to participate.
© Richard HuangAs for the marchers’ demands, I could not tell whether they shared a single cause or whether each group was making its own case. I tried asking someone nearby who was also taking photographs. He made several valiant attempts to explain in Spanish, but the poor listener—that is, me—could not understand a word, so I had to give up. Those dressed as doctors were probably calling for more healthcare staff. Their banner read, “Bad planning puts patients at risk.” (AMYTS is the Association of Doctors and Higher Graduates of Madrid.)
© Richard HuangThis elderly gentleman appeared to be operating on his own—a seasoned protest regular, you might say. When I later did some research online, I found photographs of him holding the same placard at demonstrations large and small on various dates. He seemed to be calling attention to some form of need within the public healthcare system, and his sign was covered with examples of related cases.
© Richard HuangThe sight of this mask made it feel as though a “villain” had slipped into the crowd of onlookers.
© Richard HuangThe crowd kept growing, and the organisation became increasingly disciplined. A yellow rope separated the marchers from the spectators, but I ducked inside and played the part of a part-time photojournalist. The banner read, “For universal, high-quality public healthcare in Madrid.” (CCOO is probably Spain’s largest trade union.)
© Richard HuangThis building is known as Madrid City Hall or the Madrid Post Office Building; its original name was the Palace of Cibeles. Built in 1904 and clad entirely in white marble, it has several clusters of spires crowning its roof. The nine-storey main building combines Art Nouveau and Gothic styles and is one of the city’s best-known historic landmarks.
© Richard HuangThe crowd gradually gathered beside Plaza de Cibeles—also known as Victory Goddess Square—in front of City Hall. This, it turned out, was where the march actually began. By then, the batteries in both my cameras had died. Our hotel was nearby, so we had no choice but to call it a day and head back. I therefore missed the rest of the procession.
After a short rest at the hotel, we went out for dinner that evening. The crowds were still streaming through the streets, with no end in sight in either direction. I filmed a short video on my phone.
Happening upon a march by Madrid’s workers was an unexpected episode in our journey. As spectators drawn by the commotion, we were hardly in a position to judge whether their demands were right or wrong, reasonable or merely making a fuss; nor did we understand the motives and forces behind them. Whether such routine, partly festive events achieve their intended effect is harder still to know. Whatever the case, providing a peaceful outlet for public expression serves as a stabilising force in a modern, civil society.