The general secretary of the PP, Miguel Tellado, questioned this Monday the whereabouts of the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, following the serious incidents recorded last Saturday in Barcelona, accusing him of "disappearing." In contrast, he announced that the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, will travel to the city next Wednesday to show his support for the affected merchants.
According to the report from the Mossos d'Esquadra, 128 people have been arrested, 72 of them minors, for the disturbances that occurred around the Plaza de Cataluña in Barcelona this Saturday, following an unauthorized protest call spread through social media.
In a press conference at the national headquarters of the PP, Tellado emphasized that his party is "very concerned" because "violence is becoming very present" in Spain. "What has happened in Barcelona cannot happen again either in Barcelona or in any city of our country," he stressed.
Criticism of the Government's "neglect" and Sánchez's silence
In his opinion, the "neglect and passivity of the Government is alarming." "And we have to say that Sánchez's silence is undoubtedly very revealing. He who boasts of championing the cause of peace is at the same time the one who remains silent when there are 15 police officers injured and 130 arrested due to violence in the second most populated city in Spain," he pointed out.
Tellado also criticized that Pedro Sánchez has not yet said "a word" about the violent episodes in Barcelona or A Coruña from days ago. "Sánchez has time to congratulate Lula on his result in Brazil, but he does not have time to condemn violence and impose order in Spain," he insisted.
Moments after those statements, the President of the Government condemned the disturbances in Barcelona, calling them "pure vandalism" and assuring that the Government maintains "zero tolerance" for the violent. He also emphasized that those arrested "will answer before justice."
Accusations against the far left and demand for explanations from Marlaska
Tellado described that during the weekend there were "fires, looting, destroyed businesses, confrontations with the police, and citizens trapped in establishments out of fear." "And this is unacceptable. And it must be said clearly. Behind the violence of the far left, there are only far-left violent individuals," he stated.
In the same line, he has emphasized that "those who are destroying the streets of Barcelona are not antifascists, they are fascists and they are criminals." "And they are also pursuing a goal. The extreme left sets the streets on fire so that the extreme left remains in government. And the president who calls for peace in the world in the morning is not able to guarantee it in his own country at night," he added.
The popular leader has also demanded explanations from the Interior minister. "Chaos is taking over the streets of the second city of Spain and the interior minister disappears. This climate of insecurity has to end. Moreover, it will end when Pedro Sánchez leaves the Government of Spain," he pointed out, before adding that "what Sánchez does not want is to stop in the streets, Feijóo will stop it from the Government of Spain."
"This is the personal commitment of the president of the Popular Party who this Wednesday will be alongside Xavier García Albiol in Barcelona to accompany him and listen to the merchants who have seen all their work devastated," he has announced, also highlighting that on 29N "there is an opportunity for change" and that his party wants citizens to perceive that a "safe" and "wall-free" Spain is viable.
Sources from the PP have specified that Feijóo will tour this Wednesday, alongside Albiol, the establishments damaged by the "acts of vandalism" from last Saturday, with the aim of personally conveying his support to the merchants and owners whose businesses have suffered the damage.