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s2smodern

Neither the cold weather nor the distance stopped people from meeting at the CIE (Alien Internment Centre) of Barcelona. They gathered to pray in solidarity with the inmates and for violence to stop in such centers.

The vigil was organized by the volunteers’ group of the Jesuit foundation Migra Studium. These volunteers are regular visitors but this time round, they were joined by many entities and groups. The prayer time consisted of a simple act of words and music. Detainees were given a voice thanks to the testimonies collected and read out by the volunteers who accompany them daily. They are witnesses of the differents forms of violence in these centres : one’s identity reduced to a number, physical and verbal aggression, the deterioration of one’s health, isolation... CIEs violate the rights of individuals and criminalize a basic right of a person to migrate.

In the street, people lit candles to accompany the words, music and silence, while they heard the cries for freedom of the 200 inmates. It was a simple gesture to "bring light to a dark place, which symbolizes the worst of our societies when they close themselves." This is already the third edition of this prayer vigil.

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s2smodern