The National Police has opened an internal investigation into several officers stationed in Valladolid after a video was released in which several police officers are seen physically and verbally abusing some young people of Maghreb origin. The intervention of the uniformed officers took place after an alleged fight between three of the migrants, who in the images can be seen, however, in a calm attitude. The sequence – recorded by a neighbour from a balcony and spread on social networks – shows the officers hitting the foreigners with their batons, without them trying to escape or confront each other, and a slap can even be heard. The Government delegate in Castilla y León, Nicanor Ser, has reported the opening of an investigation to clarify what happened and eventually take measures against the patrol.
The incident took place one night last week on Avenida de Segovia, a popular street in Valladolid in the Las Delicias neighbourhood, an area with many migrant residents. The video shows how a dozen uniformed officers approach the three young men and one of them verbally challenges the squad: “If you want to hit me, I’m here.” Then, an agent hits the young man on the legs with his baton, who remains leaning against a wall and does not show any conflictual attitude. Then, two other agents are seen hitting him with their batons and a slap is heard. The recording lasts approximately one minute.
The police shout at the young men, shouting “What’s wrong with you!” and “What’s wrong with you!” while attacking some of them with their batons. During the 60-second sequence, a dozen blows can be heard, among various insults directed by the officers, such as “I shit on your fucking mother,” while they push the Moroccans against the metal fences of a shop in the neighbourhood. The video shows how, after hitting the first of the young men, two police officers turn towards one of the man’s companions, shout “You shut up” and hit him several times with batons. Knowing that they are being watched by several citizens, one of the members of the police force hostilely orders these eyewitnesses to change streets. In the final moments of the video, one of the Moroccans can be seen sitting on the ground.
The release of this recording has provoked a reaction from the sub-delegation of the Government of Castilla y León, which is responsible for the Police and its actions. The government delegate, Nicanor Sen, has reported that the facts will be studied to detect possible irregularities in the intervention of the Valladolid patrol: “In the event that a bad police performance is confirmed, the corresponding files will be opened,” he said.
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