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Witness History, Witness History, When Spain's parliament was stormed

Witness History

Witness History

When Spain's parliament was stormed


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January 11, 2021

9 minutes

Available for over a year

In February 1981 armed Civil Guards tried to take control of the Spanish parliament. For 18 hours they held 350 politicians hostage in the debating chamber. One of those politicians was a young Socialist MP called Joaquin Almunia.

Photo: The leader of the coup attempt, Lt Col Antonio Tejero, on the speaker's platform (AFP/Getty Images)

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