Unite Raises Questions Over World War II Tours

The Unite Community & Retired Members Branch has raised concerns about the intention behind planned World War II history tours in Gibraltar, particularly visits to sites linked to attacks on Gibraltar during the war.

A statement from Unite follows below:

The Community & Retired Members Branch of Unite the Union has recently learnt of the organisation of tours which could be perceived as trivialising the history of violence against Gibraltar by Fascist regimes during the Second World War. It may be that those tours are seeking simply to encourage interest in the history of the war and the 20th century, but the Branch is concerned that when these tours plan visits to sites where allied forces and civilians could have been injured or killed by the Decima Flottiglia MAS they have the potential to present a totally unacceptable impression. This unit specifically, set up by Mussolini, was used in a number of attacks on Gibraltar and fought alongside the Nazis.

If activities were to glorify a regime that planned military aggression against Gibraltar and the Allied Forces fighting Fascism during the Second World War this would establish a dangerous precedent. Visits to Gibraltar that intend to disrespect the memory of those who defended our land and fought Fascism, while also risking an increase of extreme right propaganda towards Gibraltar would have a detrimental effect well beyond the intentions of any organisers.

The Branch calls upon His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar to disallow any tour that promotes fascist ideology or commemorates hostile military action against Gibraltar. The Branch is further concerned about the misunderstanding that can be caused by simply looking at this aspect of history in isolation in some sense of dramatisation without any proper context of the implications on the population, the struggle for democracy in Europe and the fight against fascism. Such events should be prevented as necessary in coordination with Spanish authorities to monitor and prevent the organisation of any such activities both in Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar.

The Branch call upon His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar to act decisively and ensure our Rock is not used as a stage for ideologies that sought its destruction.