Anti-Fascist Protest in Seville Leads to Police Crackdown and Injury of Press Member

• Over a thousand protesters gathered in Seville on Saturday to block a rally by the neo-Nazi group Núcleo Nacional.
• The protest, organized by housing and anti-fascist collectives, prevented the group from holding their event near the Bank of Spain.
• Police dispersed the crowd near the Plaza de España using batons, pepper spray, and force.
• Rafa del Barrio, a photographer for El Salto, was assaulted by officers despite identifying himself as press; he sought medical treatment for injuries to his head and elbow.

Context

• The anti-fascist demonstration targeted Núcleo Nacional, which groups describe as racist, xenophobic, and anti-LGBTQ+.
• Protesters specifically highlighted the organization's involvement in harassment campaigns against vulnerable populations and their inflammatory rhetoric regarding the humanitarian crisis in Ceuta.

Police Conduct and Medical Report

• Eyewitnesses and video footage confirm the use of pepper spray and physical strikes by the police.
• A specific incident involved a police vehicle from Calle Rábida allegedly ramming a protester.
• A medical report from the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital confirmed that Rafa del Barrio suffered from head trauma, dizziness, and elbow inflammation consistent with being struck by police equipment.
• The incident has been formally reported to the judicial system.