The deputy of the Comuns in the Parlament, Andrés García Berrio, has stated that the new protocol on the use of OC gas (pepper spray) in interventions by the Mossos d'Esquadra, released this Wednesday by the Govern, represents progress, but in his opinion it falls short, since it does not prevent “100%” its application in cases of passive resistance during demonstrations.
According to Berrio, the document establishes that it should not be used in contexts of passive resistance, although, as he sees it, it leaves a margin that does not fully close and should be defined much more: “The assessment made in this use protocol does not completely close the door,” he said at a media appearance in the Catalan chamber.
He explained that his group would like a modification of the text to guarantee unequivocally this limitation, although he acknowledges that, since it is a protocol newly approved, he finds it complicated for it to be reformed immediately. Even so, he has expressed confidence that “in its application” scenes of the use of pepper spray in contexts of passive resistance will not occur again, as he says happened in 2025 in Barcelona, during a protest in support of Palestine at Sants station.
García Berrio has positively valued that the decision to use this material be restricted to police command levels, but he has asked that it be avoided in large gatherings, since “it can generate situations of chaos” due to its wide area of impact. Likewise, he has criticized that the protocol does not include an absolute prohibition on its use in enclosed spaces.
When asked about the timing coincidence between the publication of the protocol and the general strike called for November 11, he pointed out that “it is not the most appropriate,” although he has admitted that it was necessary for the document to come to light to clarify under what conditions pepper spray can be used, given that, as he said, they were coming from an anomalous situation.