The mayor of Montuiri, Joan Verger, was due to raise a motion at yesterday's council meeting to condemn "cowardly and miserable" attacks in the form of pro-fascist graffiti that was sprayed on the pillars of the cemetery gate some time on Wednesday night.
When archaeologists from the Aranzadi centre turned up to undertake more excavation work, they were confronted with swastikas and references to the Falange and to Count Rossi, the Italian fascist who was heavily involved with the Nationalists in Majorca during the Civil War. The archaeologists are of course working on finding possible remains of Republicans from Campos who were murdered and buried in Montuiri.
Verger said yesterday that an institutional declaration from the full council was a way of rejecting attacks which "only want to sully the memory of those who fought and died for freedom and democracy". "They will not stop the town hall in taking steps for dignifying historical memory."
The mayor added that this was not the first time there had been such an episode. A plaque in memory of the Republicans was vandalised in December 2012. He reported the graffiti to the Guardia Civil, which is now conducting investigations to find out who was responsible.
The culture ministry, meanwhile, issued its condemnation on behalf of the regional government.