Madrid government launches probe into police conduct during Maricarmen eviction

During a five-hour eviction of the Maricarmen building in Madrid's Retiro district, National Police officers were recorded dragging activists across the floor and repeatedly striking them with batons, even though the protesters remained passive. Francisco Martín, the government's delegate in Madrid, said he has requested the National Police chief to launch an inquiry and report back with any conclusions. The operation, commanded by a judge, involved more than a dozen police vans and included the use of tear-gas to gain entry to the building's communal portal.

Footage released by the Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid shows multiple officers hitting an activist and pushing journalists away from the scene. The tenants' union, represented by lawyer Beatriz Duro, is compiling recordings and medical reports and is weighing whether to file formal complaints against the police. The delegate also noted that most demonstrators were peaceful, though some incidents of tension and attacks on officers occurred later in the day.