The Hatortxu Rock Music and Solidarity Festival will complete the tour and give way to the Aske festival
The festival was created 26 years ago to help the families pay for the dispersal of Basque prisoners. Since then, 30 festivals have been held. After the dispersal, the new festival that will be born in December will be called Euskal Herriaren Askatasuna.
After 26 years and 30 festivals, thousands of people gathered this weekend in Lakuntza have said goodbye to the Hatortxu Rock music and solidarity festival.
From Thursday to Sunday, more than a hundred groups have climbed onto the stage of the last Hatortxu and on Sunday at noon, with a moving farewell act, the artists, music fans and volunteers who have been Hatortxu's backbone (more than 30,000, all these years) have taken their space to look to the past and the future.
Eztizen Artola, the daughter of prisoner Joseba Artola, who was born when her father was in prison, said, "My father first heard my cry on the phone, and when you were working on the dismantling of Hatortxu in Berriozar, I made my first trip to the prison, 15 days old, in Nanclares.
Hartortxu Rock was founded in 1999 to help the family pay for the dispersal of Basque prisoners, first in Berriozar, and 26 years later, after the dispersal, they have said that the cause of Hatortxu itself is over. Indeed, the festival was born with the will to disappear as soon as possible, and the time has come. Therefore, and knowing that it was the last, the grief and joy have both reigned this weekend in Lakuntza.
However, they have stressed that the road is not over and have pointed out that "it is time to overcome once and for all" the consequences of the political conflict that Euskal Herria has experienced.
Aduna Mendizábal of the reception association has said from the main stage that "although in these new times there are fewer and fewer of us in captivity and exile, there are more and more prisoners, refugees and ex-deportees." In his words, "before the prisoners have served their sentences in full, he is making a progressive journey towards freedom" and the Reception Association is working to ensure that "the journey to freedom begins as soon as possible."
After denouncing that the road to a solution has been too long, they demand the return home of the Basque prisoners.
He'll be born on December 27th.
After saying goodbye to Hatortxu, they have announced that they will embark on a new path, and on 27 December a new music festival will begin, with a new name and a renewed goal, 'Aske' will be born to claim the Freedom of the Basque People and will start in Villava.
More news sections
Despite the "black clouds" of autumn, Pradales has announced an upward revision of economic prospects for 2026
Lehendakari Pradales has stressed that on 28 October the draft budget of the Basque Country for 2026, which will be "the highest in the history of the Basque Country", will be approved. In his words, the Basque Government has announced an upward revision of the economic forecasts for 2026, showing that the Basque Country has the capacity to "sustain and cope" with the difficult global context.
Despite the "black clouds" of autumn, Pradales has announced an upward revision of economic prospects for 2026
Lehendakari Pradales has stressed that on 28 October 2025 the draft budget of the Basque Country for 2026, "the highest in the history of the Basque Country", will be approved. In his words, the Basque Government has announced an upward revision of the economic forecasts for 2026, which have shown that the Basque Country has the capacity to "sustain and cope" with the difficult global context.
They had to interrupt the Round over Enekuri for two minutes because of a protest against Israel
To denounce the Israeli massacre in Palestine, several fans have taken the road and had to interrupt the race.
The Hatortxu Rock Music and Solidarity Festival will complete the tour and give way to the Aske festival
The festival was created 26 years ago to help the families pay for the dispersal of Basque prisoners. Since then, 30 festivals have been held. After the dispersal, the new festival that will be born in December will be called Euskal Herriaren Askatasuna.
The workers of the self-schools in Bizkaia are starting their third day of strike
At 08:30 in the morning a demonstration was held from the Doña Casilda Park in Bilbao by the teachers of the self-schools in Bizkaia, who have been negotiating with the employers for seven months, but after several meetings they have not reached an agreement.