Palma tourism protest: police accuse seven after clashes
Seven people face accusations of public disorder and damage after clashes following the 26 July protest against tourism overcrowding in Palma, Mallorca. Spain’s National Police sent its internal report to the judicial authority, which must now continue the inquiry and decide whether to summon the suspects. Several people, including a photojournalist covering the march, were injured in the police charges.
Alfonso Rodríguez, the Spanish Government’s delegate in the Balearic Islands, ordered the report the day after the incident. He described the police action as violent and disproportionate, saying some officers used physical force against people who appeared to pose no threat.
How the clash developed
The report says the march had passed without incident until it reached Ses Voltes. Officers told organisers that the 25,000 participants would not fit in the planned area for the reading of the manifesto and asked for it to be held outside instead.
When organisers insisted on entering the site, police set up three checkpoints to let people through gradually. The march promoter then announced over a loudspeaker that police were blocking access.
Tension rose on the narrow walkway linking Avenida Antoni Maura and Ses Voltes, where officers said they were hemmed in and called for reinforcements. The report says videos show a small group throwing bottles, cans and stones, kicking and pushing officers, using a flagpole and confronting tourists nearby. Police then ordered the charges.
Valencia reviews police use of force
The investigation into the officers’ actions is being handled by the Valencia police leadership because the riot police deployed in Palma, the Unidad de Intervención Policial (UIP), answer to it. Its commanders must decide whether force was used proportionately.
The judicial case based on the police report could be joined by a collective legal action. A group of demonstrators has already said it intends to bring a claim.
Topics: Police · Protests · Tourism · Palma
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com