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Korrika Ends in Bilbao With Political Displays Under Scrutiny

The finish renewed pressure on AEK’s public funding after critics pointed to overt tributes to convicted ETA members.

Overview

  • Korrika, the AEK-run relay to promote the Basque language, finished at Bilbao City Hall after a nonstop 2,175‑kilometer route that began in Tardes, France.
  • Covite, a victims’ group, said the event platformed ETA by citing a Pamplona segment where a child carried the baton while wearing a shirt with the image of convicted killer Patxi Ruiz.
  • Several former ETA members carried the baton in San Sebastián, and towns along the route displayed silhouettes or names of convicted members such as Francisco Javier Gallaga and “Txapote.”
  • AEK barred the CCOO union over its opposition to requiring Basque for all public jobs, which prompted the Basque Socialists to pull back before some members later joined.
  • The Bilbao finish featured pro‑amnesty posters from groups like GKS and Aske, propaganda linked to groups under police watch such as Jardun, and an AEK protocol promising a day free of sexist, racist and homophobic aggression.