After a night of parties and fireworks, thousands of people in Gibraltar linked hands as they celebrated 300 years of British rule
Published:
5 August 2004 y., Thursday
After a night of parties and fireworks, thousands of people in Gibraltar linked hands as they celebrated 300 years of British rule, irking Spain which has long claimed the rocky territory.
British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and the head of the British navy were joining the festivities in what Madrid has denounced as an "unfriendly act".
"If Spain wants to get offended because we say that this is our Rock, so be it," Gibraltar's chief minister Peter Caruana said.
"But it is not our intention to offend anyone."
On the territory, a strategically vital gateway to the Mediterranean, the celebrations got underway overnight with music and all-night street parties.
At the stroke of midnight, a 15-minute fireworks display heralded the 300th anniversary.
In the morning, thousands of people started to form a massive human chain, holding hands, around the Rock in a demonstration intended to underline their allegiance to London.
Later in the day the House of Assembly, Gibraltar's parliament, was to make a formal declaration opposing any transfer of sovereignty to Spain.
The joint motion by the government and opposition is expected to win unanimous backing.
The climax of the festivities was to be a military parade in the evening at which the British Royal Navy, which helped capture Gibraltar on August 4, 1704, was to be conferred the freedom of the territory.
Šaltinis:
abc.net.au
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
The dark spectre of unemployment is stalking Europe and 2010 is the year it has earmarked in the fight against poverty.
more »
Just about a month after a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake destroyed vast swaths of Chile’s south central region, residents in the coastal town of Dichato continue to wait for much needed aid.
more »
The European Parliament will once again mark “Earth Hour” by switching off lights in all its buildings for one hour this Friday and Saturday.
more »
Only one in 10 board members of Europe's biggest listed companies is a woman and all central bank governors in the EU are male.
more »
New rules in 10 EU countries would let international couples choose which country’s law applies to their divorces.
more »
The EP's Committee on Culture and Education urges the EU to promote non-formal education, combat youth unemployment and help young people with special needs.
more »
More than 50 million people in southwest China are struggling to cope with what is being called the worst drought in living memory.
more »
Ideas sought on how to improve train, energy and banking services - a major cause of headaches for consumers in Europe.
more »
The EBRD is supporting the rehabilitation of the water and wastewater system in the city of Aktau, in the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan, with a loan in Kazakhstan Tenge (KZT) equivalent to €5.8 million (KZT 1.2 billion) to Aktau TVS&V, the municipal water and district heating company serving the city.
more »
The world’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade bathed New York’s Fifth Avenue in a sea of green.
more »