The Civil Guard has filed 76 reports against the organizers and participants of the international hippy movement Familia Arcoiris for various infractions during the illegal camping that some 200 people from various parts of Europe have celebrated on a mountain south of La Rioja.
As detailed on Thursday by the Civil Guard in a note, this meeting has been held in recent weeks in a remote enclave of the Portilla valley, about five kilometers southwest of the Riojan town of Viniegra de Abajo and three kilometers from the border with Castile and Leon.
The exact point of the camp could only be accessed by walking the last 2 kilometers.
Since the arrival of the Rainbow Family, agents from the Armed Institute have carried out a “very exhaustive” monitoring of the meeting, in which men, women and children of different ages and from different parts of Europe have participated.
Apart from the 76 complaints, another 70 members of the encampment avoided the sanction by leaving the place during the requirements of the agents.
Complaints have been processed for “flagrant” breaches of the Law for the Protection and Development of the Forest Heritage of La Rioja, which prohibits free camping in all the mountains of public utility in the community and the making of fire.
The Forestry Law has also been breached for driving off-road and parking vehicles off the road on vegetation cover, and the Law for the Protection of Citizen Security for the allegation of false or inaccurate data in the identification processes.
Other complaints are justified by non-compliance with state and regional legislation on health matters of prevention and containment against covid-19, due to groups of people who do not live together, not wearing a mask and not maintaining a safety distance.
The controls established in the area prevented the arrival of another 54 members of the Rainbow Family at the camping site.
For the total control of this hippy commune, it has been necessary to mobilize a helicopter from the Civil Guard air service, as well as the Citizen Security units, the Nature Protection Service, the Cynological Service with dogs specialized in the detection of substances narcotics and the Rescue and Intervention Team in Montana.
The presence of minors in the illegal camping also motivated its communication to the Social Services of the La Rioja Government, not only due to lack of schooling, but also due to the terrible hygienic, sanitary and health conditions. In addition, forestry agents of the regional government have collaborated in the actions.
The rainbow family in detail
It is a hippy meeting with the spirit of the late 60s and with the trail of Woodstock very present. The Rainbow Family meets periodically and camps in the wild for several days in which the basic rule is that there are no rules. Their modus vivendi in those days is governed by adopting an alternative way of life and all with the same hierarchy and role. They call themselves the Rainbow Family and the four base ideals of their counterculture are: peace, harmony, freedom and I respect. His spirit counterattacks consumerism and capitalism.
The concept was born together with the hippie movement of the 60s and 70s and coined the main insignia with which they began their claim for a pacifist, environmentalist world stripped of capitalism and consumerism.
The Rainbow Family met for the first time in 1972 in Colorado (USA). More than 20,000 people settled in what would be named as the original meeting and for which an annual tribute is made during the first week of July.
During the rest of the year they convene multiple meetings in different parts of the world. Israel, France or Ireland are some of the destinations planned for this year, although neither the places nor the dates are usually confirmed until the last moment and the event is usually spread by word of mouth or through Internet forums.
People from all over the world and of all ages are attracted by the idea of ​​living an authentic alternative experience for a few days, they gather in a picturesque camp that they like to baptize as their own Babylon.
