Second protest in a week over Budget measures

A group of around 100 people held a protest in Casemates on Friday, the second this week, to protest against the pollution levy announced in Monday’s Budget and reversed just hours later.

Joseph Capurro and Dean Penfold, spokesmen for the group, acknowledged an announcement by the Chief Minister earlier on Friday that the levy was “dead”, adding this demonstrated the power of popular protest.

But Mr Penfold said the group, calling itself Power to the People, had now developed a list of 28 more concerns they would put to the Government.

Most related to the cost-of-living crisis and ranged from concern about the impact of taxes and fees, to parking, pensions equalisation, prescriptions, housing, employment and the need for more transparency, among many others.

Mr Capurro said there was “a huge chasm” between high earners and people on lower salaries who were hit hard by increases to taxes and fees, adding the Government “needs to get their act together”.

“The people of Gibraltar are very, very unhappy,” he said.

The group’s representatives had been contacted by the Chief Minister – Mr Penfold said Fabian Picardo should have come in person to Casemates – and offered a meeting on Monday, which they would attend.

He urged people to communicate their concerns to the group and these would be made clear to the Chief Minister and the Government.

A spokesperson for the Royal Gibraltar Police said between 80 to 100 people attended the protest.

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