The Ministry of the Interior has opened an ex officio investigation – which will be carried out by the National Office for the Guarantee of Human Rights – into the actions of two National Police agents in the Madrid neighborhood of Lavapiés that was recorded on video. In these images, which spread like wildfire last weekend on social media, one of the agents can be seen neutralizing a black man while his uniformed partner hits him twice with the baton. The ministry headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska intends to clarify whether during “the events that occurred in the brawl” there has been any “violation of fundamental rights”, as numerous anti-racist organizations and political parties such as Sumar or Podemos have denounced.
The Office, created in February 2022, has the task of ensuring compliance by the State Security Forces and Corps with national and international standards that guarantee respect for the fundamental rights of people, as reported by the Interior, This office acts as a monitoring, coordination and evaluation mechanism that helps to make visible and promote the commitment of the State Security Forces and Bodies (FCSE) in respect for human rights, for which it analyzes facts and actions that may reveal an alleged violation of people’s fundamental rights during a police action.
Last Good Friday, the National Police arrested two people after a drug brawl in Lavapiés, which led to the criticized police action. From the Higher Headquarters of the National Police of Madrid it was reported that two people had been arrested for alleged crimes of attack against authority after the two arrested had a hostile attitude towards the agents, causing injuries to one of them. It was the Government Delegation that reported yesterday that an investigation had been opened into the actions of the agents, after the criticism expressed on social networks against the actions of the police officers. “At this time an investigation remains open in this regard. “Proportionality is and should be a main component of police action,” wrote the Government delegate in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, on his social networks in response to a Más Madrid deputy.
The Ministry of the Interior has clarified that there are thus two investigations underway. The opening of confidential information by the General Directorate of the National Police to which the Government delegate referred yesterday. And on the other hand, the investigation opened by the National Office for the Guarantee of Human Rights dependent on the Inspection of Security Personnel and Services of the General Directorate of Coordination and Studies of the Ministry’s Secretariat of State for Security.
