The 24-hour general strike called for this Wednesday across the country has resulted in the Community of Madrid with a total of 20 people arrested for different incidents linked to the protests and the information pickets during the stoppages, according to sources from the Madrid Superior Police Command who spoke to Europa Press.
All the arrests took place at various points in the capital, with a special concentration in the Puente de Vallecas district throughout the day. The arrested individuals are accused of alleged crimes including disobedience, resistance, damage, and assault on authority, among others.
The most prominent incidents took place during protests called in the early hours at Mercamadrid and at the depots of the Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT), where clashes between officers and information pickets were recorded. The mobilization that blocked traffic on Madrid’s Gran Vía was also significant, in which the Police likewise intervened.
At Mercamadrid, at least one person was detained around 1:30 a.m. accused of throwing a barrier at the officers, police headquarters indicated to Europa Press. The unions also stated that up to 15 demonstrators needed medical assistance. From CC.OO., it was also announced that it will file a criminal lawsuit for these events.
On the Gran Vía, where hundreds of people kept the road blocked for about two hours, two other people, born in 1966 and in 2000, were arrested for alleged crimes of resistance and assault on authority. Sources from the Superior Police Command explained that they were detained while they were carrying out graffiti at an establishment on Calle Montera.
At this point, the officers of the UIP (riot police) ordered those gathered to leave the roadway to allow traffic, and there were shoves and police charges. One person had to be taken to a hospital after suffering a cut to the head, according to Emergencias Madrid, which reported to Europa Press.
At the same time, in the Puente de Vallecas area, several arrests related to the strike occurred in different actions by the National Police.
In one of them, agents have arrested two people, a man and a woman, on Martínez de la Riva Street for an alleged offense of damage and sabotage. A backpack containing “miguelitos” spikes or burrs was seized from them; that is, small triangular metal pieces intended to puncture tires.
According to the police sources consulted, some of these objects were thrown onto the ground and would have caused the tire of an unmarked police vehicle to be punctured. The objective, according to these same sources, was to put more Police cars out of service.
In another operation on Pico Cejo Street, two more people have been detained for assaulting an agent of authority. In this case, the arrests occurred when, allegedly, they were preparing a cut on the M-30 and trying to prevent the agents from accessing a premises.
Also in Puente de Vallecas, two more people have been arrested at the intersection of Iginio Rodríguez Street and Javier de Miguel Street, after being caught placing stickers, painting a façade, putting out of service the cylinder of an establishment, and threatening the workers. They are charged with an alleged offense of damage and coercion.
In this same district, Municipal Police officers have detained a man born in 1960 on Puerto de Alcolea Street for alleged offenses of coercion and damage, after he was discovered puncturing the wheels of a work van and coercing his employees.
In the Arganzuela district, another arrest occurred linked to the strike day. National Police officers have detained a person on Fran Luis de León Street for resistance and disobedience, police sources told Europa Press.
Lastly, in Tetuán, three hooded women were detained for an alleged offense against road safety. According to the same sources, they were located when they were trying to cut the cable of a signal light junction box, and the officers have detected at least three traffic lights with the cables severed in the area.