Spain general strike
Malaga city centre shops call for greater police presence during Wednesday general strike
Traders' association recommends temporary closure of shutters as business owners prepare for evening demonstration
Málaga
Business owners in Malaga city centre are waiting for the general strike this Wednesday with concern and uncertainty. To prevent any incidents during the day ... while also ensuring that they respect the right to work, shops have called for greater police presence in the area on the day of the strike.
The traders' association has specifically called for an increased police presence in Plaza de Félix Sáenz, one of the city centre's shopping areas, and other parts of the historic centre.
All local business owners intend to open as normal on 11 November, although the situation could change depending on how events unfold over the next few hours.
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They expect the hours of peak tension to be after 6pm, when the demonstration is due to start. Many businesses are considering closing their shutters to avoid incidents, following a recommendation from the CEM (Malaga's business association).
The Centro Histórico-CCA association has been in constant contact with business owners and the police for several days now to prepare for whatever may happen. "The aim is to keep our member businesses informed, prevent any potential incidents and help ensure that the day proceeds as normally as possible," they said.
Over the last few days, representatives of the association have taken part in various coordination meetings, during which they analysed the possible scenarios.
Logistics and goods distribution areas, the AndalucÃa TechPark and Malaga Airport are among the locations where the highest number of incidents could be recorded during the day.
Furthermore, following discussions with trade unions, the CEM has recommended that retail premises along the route of the demonstration consider temporarily closing their premises as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of staff, customers and shopkeepers.