Protests for Housing Rights in Valencia Met with Police Crackdown
El Salto
Police Crackdown on Housing Rights Demonstration
- On October 3, a large demonstration for housing rights in Valencia ended in clashes, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons.
- Protesters marched toward the Palau de les Arts, where a real estate conference was being held; police used force as the crowd attempted to cross security barriers.
- Witness reports and footage indicate that private security personnel from the company Eulen also participated in physical assaults, striking individuals who had fallen to the ground.
- Numerous protesters sustained injuries, with reports of bloodied individuals; however, no official casualty count has been released.
Allegations of Arbitrary Detentions
- Witnesses reported that police conducted seemingly random arrests away from the main protest site, including inside the Felisiano bar and at the Turia riverbed park.
- Witnesses at the bar claimed police entered, targeted specific individuals based on their appearance, and arrested them violently.
- Another witness described police officers immediately handcuffing a young person in the park even as the demonstration was dispersing.
Political Demands for Accountability
- Political groups including Podem and Compromís have registered formal written questions to the government to investigate the police conduct.
- Key inquiries include:
- Identification of the authorities who ordered the use of force and gas.
- Total figures on rubber bullets and gas canisters deployed.
- Verification of whether officers were properly identified during the operation.
- Formal assessment of whether the force used adhered to principles of necessity and proportionality.
- Status of potential internal investigations by the Government Delegation.