DEMONSTRATIONS WITH PLACARDS; PROCESSION; ONLOOKERS; DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING AT CONVENT; PETER ISOLA; SIR VARYL BEGG AND SIR JOSHUA HASSAN ON BALCONY; CROWD WITH UNION JACKS AND PLACARDS.




Initials JH/VS/JF/ES



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Background: SOME 2,000 GIBRALTARIANS MARCHED THROUGH THE COLONY'S STREET YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) TO PROTEST SPAIN'S RECENT OFFER OF SPANISH NATIONALITY TO THOSE RESIDENTS OF GIBRALTAR WHO NO LONGER WISHED TO REMAIN BRITISH. CARRYING PLACARDS AND UNION JACKS, THE MARCHERS MADE THEIR WAY TO THE CONVENT, THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE, WHERE THEY PRESENTED MESSAGES TO THE COLONY'S LEADERS.

THE MARCH WAS ORGANISED BY MR ANTHONY BALDORINO, A MEMBER OF THE OUTGOING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, TO DEMONSTRATE GIBRALTAR'S WISH TO REMAIN BRITISH AND RENEW ITS ALLEGIANCE TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.

THE DEMONSTRATORS, CARRYING PLACARDS CONDEMNING THE OFFER BY GENERAL FRANCO, THE SPANISH CHIEF OF STATE, AND DECLARING THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN, MARCHED THROUGH THE MAIN STREET TO THE GOVERNOR, ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET SIR VARYL BEGG, THAT "WE, THE PEOPLE OF GIBRALTAR, WISH TO REITERATE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY, OUR WISHES AND DESIRE TO REMAIN BRITISH."
THE GOVERNOR WAS THEN APPLAUDED AS HE APPEARED ON THE BALCONY OF HIS RESIDENCE IN THE COMPANY OF SIR JOSHUA HASSAN, GIBRALTAR'S CHIEF MINISTER, MR PETER ISOLA, MR BALDORINO AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MARCHERS DELEGATION.

THE SPANISH OFFER WAS MADE ON FRIDAY (4 JULY), SAYING THAT GIBRALTARIANS COULD TRANSFER THEIR BUSINESSES AND BELONGINGS TO SPAIN WITHOUT PAYING IMPORT DUTIES. THE BRITISH FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE HAS SO FAR DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE SPANISH PROPOSAL.

BRITISH OFFICIALS IN LONDON SAID YESTERDAY THEY WERE NOT SURPRISED THAT THE PEOPLE OF GIBRALTAR HAD REJECTED MADRID'S OFFER.

THE SPANISH MOVE COMES AFTER THE RECENT CLOSURE OF THE L AND FRONTIER WITH GIBRALTAR AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE DAILY FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN SPAIN AND GIBRALTAR AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO TRY TO FORCE BRITAIN TO HAND THE COLONY BACK TO MADRID.