Interior orders probe into Spain's general strike police charges and bans tear gas at protests

Investigations ordered after the strike

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has asked Francisco Pardo Piqueras, director general of the National Police, to open "specific investigations" into police conduct during the general strike of 11 November, according to ministry sources. These inquiries will run separately from the internal inspection the National Police applies to all its operations to check whether they comply with current rules. Marlaska has also ordered that tear gas no longer be used in operations to control demonstrations from now on. The strike was called over housing, and police charges during the day quickly became the main political controversy surrounding it.

Madrid march and police charges

Reports describe a protest that set off from Atocha at 18:00 and was meant to end in Plaza de España. A police cordon tried to stop the crowd from reaching the square because of the large turnout, and demonstrators got past the barrier before officers charged. According to LaSexta, police fired shots into the air and used pepper spray against the crowd, which scattered into the surrounding streets. Containers were set alight and street furniture was damaged in those streets, and clashes were also reported on the Gran Vía and at Callao. At least one person was detained at the end of the march.

Bolaños rules out dismissal

Félix Bolaños, minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, ruled out Marlaska's dismissal in a radio interview on RNE on 12 November. He acknowledged that he had seen images of police actions that he did not like. He said the minister's position was not in question at all and that Marlaska had followed closely the work of the security forces during the strike. Bolaños placed the judgement on the force used in the hands of police commanders.

“I have seen some images that I did not like.”

“They are the police commanders themselves, the very officials responsible, who will have to determine whether there was disproportionate use of force in any episode or specific action.”

Calls for dismissal and legal action

Emilio Delgado, Frente Amplio's candidate for Madrid, asked Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to dismiss Marlaska. In a Cadena SER interview, Delgado said that appealing to the minister made little sense and that the longer the PSOE backed him, the more responsibility shifted to the prime minister. He also accused police of gassing a homeless person on the Gran Vía during the housing protest. Podemos has also demanded the minister's removal, while unions have said they will take legal action over what they consider disproportionate force. Antonio Maíllo, coordinator of Izquierda Unida, accused Marlaska of failing to control the police units acting against strike pickets. Ernest Urtasun, minister of Culture, said Sumar had denounced the charges as disproportionate and requested an investigation.

Arrests by province

Police and Guardia Civil reported 1,144 incidents linked to the strike up to 23:00 on 11 November, with 47 arrests. The ministry describes these as provisional figures that exclude data from Catalonia and the Basque Country. Madrid recorded the most arrests, with 20, followed by Valencia with 6, while Málaga and Almería logged 4 each. The ministry also names Granada, Castellón, Zamora and Navarra, but the published breakdown does not clearly assign every arrest to a province.

Madrid20

Valencia6

Málaga4

Almería4

Granada3

Castellón3

Zamora2

Navarra1

Madrid

20 arrests

Valencia

6 arrests

Málaga

4 arrests

Almería

4 arrests

Granada

3 arrests

Castellón

3 arrests

Zamora

2 arrests

Navarra

1 arrests

Data from the article text