Bassiri stressed non-violence (influenced by the peaceful struggle of Gandhi in the colonized India) and wanted to bring about change through democratic action, although the ruthless colonial rule imposed by Francisco Franco's Spain forced the Harakat Tahrir to remain clandestine.

Disturbance continued until 19:00 PM, when troops of the Tercio "Juan de Austria" of the Spanish Legion brutally put down what remained of the protesters.

According to Salem Lebser, he replied: "Nobody could say I'm an adventurer who has led people to death and then disappeared..I already fled once Morocco, where I felt like a stranger.

[11] Bassiri was tracked down that night, detained around 03:00 AM of June 18, and jailed at El Aaiun Territorial Police headquarters.

[citation needed] Later, he was allegedly moved to "Sidi Buya", the Spanish Legion headquarters in El Aaiun.

[14] Spanish colonial authorities even claimed in 1971 that Bassiri had died on the Skhirat coup d'état against Hassan II.