The Manifesto
Saltada Popular is an independent initiative and it’s not tied in any way to political or economical interests. Saltada Popular is born under the following premises:
1. We consider that, specially in big cities, the free mobility of people and animals through the transport network becomes a need and a right; never a privilege.
1.1 According to point 1, it must be clear that the use of the wrong called “public transport” is NEVER a pleasure for the user; in fact it’s totally the opposite: the overcrowding, the never ending delays and the constant surveillance are an important alienation factor for the subway users. No matter how pleasant the TMB (Barcelona’s transport corporation) propaganda can be.
2. We also consider that the price of the ticket is totally unfair in relation to the (shitty) quality of the offered service.
2.1 An obvious sign of these fact is the abusive use of cars derived from the low efficiency, comfort and trust in the non-public transport, with all the pollution problems, traffic jams and accidents that it entails.
2.2 We should not forget that in the rest of European countries transport ticket rates are similar or a little bit higher (even though the minimum wage in those countries is two or three times bigger than in the Spanish State) than in Barcelona , offering, nevertheless, a more complete and effective service.
3. We consider that the TMB corporation policy degrades and gives bad treatment to animals and people, that includes users and workers.
3.1 Because of this fact, it seems that the same policy, attitude and negligence of the Metropolitan Transport Reich has infected a vast majority of the employees in the company.
3.2 There are thousands of cases to demonstrate this statements. However, the constant brutality, scorn and authority abuse shown by subway’s security guards seems particularly alarming to us.
3.3 Unfortunately, as we’ve recently seen during the bus drivers strikes, over the last year and in many other well known conflicts, TMB is still exerting its right wing methods under the cover of a democratic and liberal mask.
4. We consider that everything said before can only be understood in the context of Barcelona’s growing gentrification processes, exclusion, coolness, fashion, party tourism and the cynicism of politicians, who have never stayed in touch with the city reality.
4.1 We should not forget that the main promoters of the multiple advantages of the public transport, the magnificent members of the political class, only remember to step out of their official cars during electoral campaign periods.
5. Finally, being consequent with the exposed facts, we believe in the jump over the fence (and its multiple ways of non paying) as the better tool of direct protest available for the individuals.