Mossos infiltrated in teachers' strike assemblies: unions and ERC demand Trapero's dismissal

The complaint from the union CGT of Catalonia about the alleged infiltration of Mossos d'Esquadra agents in teacher assemblies in Barcelona has intensified the conflict between the education sector and the Govern. While the unions maintain strike days called until the end of the school year, parties like ERC and the CUP demand political accountability and immediate explanations.

According to the CGT, two plainclothes agents attended a teachers' assembly held at the Institut Pau Claris de Barcelona, within the framework of the mobilizations called by education unions until the end of the school year. The union maintains that several attendees recognized the alleged agents for having previously participated in uniformed demonstrations of the Mossos. After being asked about their identity, they reportedly offered contradictory explanations before leaving the meeting.

The case has further heightened tension between the education sector and the Generalitat. The majority unions —Ustec, CGT de Catalunya, Aspepc and La Intersindical— maintain up to 17 strike days called to demand salary and labor improvements. The organizations accuse the Departament d’Educació of refusing to reopen negotiations after the agreement reached with UGT and CCOO.

The political reaction has not been long in coming. ERC and CUP have demanded the immediate dismissal of the director general of the Catalan police, Josep Lluís Trapero. The republican deputy Jordi Albert described the events as “unacceptable” and assured that “the response to the mobilizations is more police, instead of more dialogue”. Furthermore, he warned the Illa Executive that “if this dismissal does not occur, the responsibility will no longer be solely that of the police director”.

ERC has also demanded urgent appearances by the Minister of Interior, Núria Parlon, and by the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó. From the opposition, they consider it especially serious that police agents could participate in meetings linked to the preparation of strikes and union actions. “It is intolerable that they want to restrict union action”, denounced Jordi Albert in the Parliament.

The controversy also coincides with another focus of conflict promoted by Interior: the pilot plan that contemplates the presence of plainclothes mossos in high schools to participate in conflict mediation tasks. The proposal has provoked strong rejection among teachers and unions, who consider that it introduces police dynamics into educational spaces and aggravates distrust towards the Govern.

Despite the political and media pressure, the president Salvador Illa avoided confirming whether the police infiltration really existed and closed ranks with the autonomous police force. “I have confidence and much respect for the professionalism of the Mossos”, he stated in an interview on 'Cadena SER'. Illa also assured that he had no prior knowledge of the events and limited any explanation to the scope of the Conselleria de Interior.

For their part, both the Direcció General de la Policia and the Departament d’Interior have defended the actions of the Mossos alleging that their functions are carried out “always in accordance with current legislation” and guaranteeing the right to assembly and demonstration. However, the lack of concrete explanations has intensified criticism from unions and parties, who accuse the Govern of prioritizing police control over dialogue with the educational community amidst a full escalation of the labor conflict.