Catalan Police Intelligence Chief Defends Infiltration of Teachers' Assembly

• Carles Hernàndez, head of the Mossos d’Esquadra Intelligence Division, defended the deployment of two undercover officers to a teachers' assembly on May 6, claiming it was for "exclusively preventive" purposes.
• Hernàndez refused to apologize for the operation, asserting he firmly believes in its necessity, despite accusations of rights violations.

The Infiltration Incident

• Two officers attended a public teachers' meeting while disguised as educators; they were discovered when other attendees questioned them about their school.
• While Hernàndez initially denied they lied, he later admitted the officers used deception to leave the meeting to protect their safety.
• The police commander maintained that the officers did not interfere in the meeting and that because it was a public event, their presence did not violate any fundamental rights.

Legal and Political Context

• Several educational unions have filed lawsuits alleging the infiltration violated rights to assembly, strike, and union freedom; the prosecution has requested the dismissal of these cases.
• A Barcelona administrative court is currently investigating three separate complaints filed by unions regarding the incident.
• Hernàndez stated that the interior department closed its internal investigation, finding no legal violations, and claimed neither the current regional minister nor the previous police director were aware of the operation.
• Opposition politicians, including those from the CUP party, have demanded the resignation of the intelligence chief in response to his defense of the tactics.