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Date Published: 26/01/2022

ARCHIVED - Images of the giant Stalin and Lenin banner that was discovered hanging from Christ statue in Monteagudo

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

The Marxist-Leninist Party has claimed responsibility for the act of vandalism as a political protest

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Images of the giant Stalin and Lenin banner that was discovered hanging from Christ statue in Monteagudo

The town of Monteagudo, on the outskirts of Murcia city, woke up to an unexpected addition to their statue of Christ this morning. Local people looking up at the statue on top of the castle on the hill were greeted by the sight of a huge banner hanging down, bearing the faces of Russian communist leaders Lenin and Stalin.

The banner also showed the communist symbol of the hammer and sickle on a red star and the text “It is very difficult to destroy those who are not willing to surrender”. The Marxist-Leninist Party (Communist Reconstruction) has claimed responsibility for the act, which it carried out on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the organisation’s prohibition.

En Monteagudo (Murcia), ahora mismo. Es un lugar histórico que, aunque siga cayéndose a pedazos, está protegido, por cierto. O debería estarlo. Ya veo que poco. pic.twitter.com/turk5ExlW6
— Antonio Botías (@antoniobotias) January 26, 2022

“The Party also scheduled events for this anniversary in different Spanish cities such as Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona”, the PML said in a statement, going on to explain the history behind the banning of the party: “On January 27 2016, the party was outlawed for a year, nine people were arrested and the secretary general, Roberto Vaquero, was sent to prison under FIES regime”.

This act of protest comes as Russia comes under fire from the international community for being on the brink of invading Ukraine, though the Marxist-Leninist Party claims that their motives have nothing to do with current affairs.

At around 9.30am, the banner was removed by the municipal fire brigade.

The monument of Christ which sits atop Monteagudo castle is an official Asset of Cultural Interest, and is therefore under special historical and architectural protection, which means the perpetrators may face criminal prosecution for violating this rule.

This is not the first time that the Christ statue has been used as a stage for political protest – last year, an unidentified group climbed up there to hang a banner, similar in size to the one placed today, with the message ‘The reconquest is on the move’ printed over the Spanish flag.

The sculpture, which is 14 metres high and sits on a base 20 metres high, was assembled piece by piece in 1951 and is the largest of its kind in Spain.

Image: Murcia Turistica

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