Thousands in nationalist Basque country demo as Madrid fumes Agence Presse France, 8/22/03 Thousands demonstrated in this Basque city Friday in support of self-determination for the restless Basque country in northern Spain, while the central Spanish government in Madrid raged at Basque authorities for allowing the rally to take place. Prominent among demonstrators were members of the radical Basque party Batasuna, banned by Madrid courts because of its close connection with the armed separatist group ETA, which has been blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people. Participants called for an amnesty for ETA members jailed for violence including bombings and shootings during the group's three-decade campaign for an independent state. Arnaldo Otegi, a Batasuna leader, told the crowd that Friday's rally represented defeat for the "Spanish fascists", who would not prevent the "patriotic Basque Left" from demonstrating and participating in political and institutional activities. The demonstration was authorised by the interior minister of the Basque regional government, dominated by the moderate Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). The decision to allow the gathering sparked rage in Madrid. "Friends of ETA and its accomplices will march freely through the streets of the Basque country today because the Basque government has allowed it," complained Jose Maria Michavila, justice minister in the national government. "The truth of the matter is that ETA has been expelled from every democratic institution in Spain and the European Union," the minister said: "Its only remaining oxygen is that provided by the institutions in which the PNV rules," he added, calling on the PNV Basque executive to stop acting as "official sponsor for ETA, Batasuna and friends of terrorism". The PNV seeks greater autonomy for the Basque country by non-violent means. The Socialist opposition also criticised the Bilbao rally. Patxi Lopez, the Basque Socialist leader, said everyone knew the demonstration was being run by Batasuna, an outlawed political organisation. Batasuna was banned last March by Spanish courts because of its ETA links and placed on European Union and US terrorism blacklists. Most of ETA's attacks -- mainly assassinations and bomb attacks -- have been directed against the Spanish authorities..