The Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso has taken a new step this Wednesday in its offensive against the housing encampment in Puerta del Sol. The Community of Madrid has sent a complaint to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office for "threats and insults" against the regional president, accompanied by photographs of posters, graffiti, and messages projected onto the Real Casa de Correos. The initiative comes after the High Court of Justice of Madrid refused to order the precautionary eviction of the protest.
The document, signed by the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Local Administration and spokesperson for the Executive, Miguel Ángel García Martín, requests an investigation into the facts and the identification of those possibly responsible. Among the messages collected are "Ayuso beware", "Ayuso die", and the projection of "Ayuso, Almeida, go to hell" on the facade of the regional government headquarters. It also includes a complaint for alleged damage to the square's heritage.
The General Counsel of the Community suggests that these acts could constitute crimes of threats, serious defamation with publicity, hate, and damage. This is the assessment of the regional legal services, which ask the Public Prosecutor's Office to clarify what happened and determine possible criminal liabilities. It is now up to the Prosecutor's Office to evaluate the document and decide whether to initiate proceedings.
Accusations without identifying the groups
García Martín reiterated today that there are radical groups in Sol associated with entities declared terrorist by other countries, following the accusations made by Ayuso over the weekend. When asked about these organizations, he stated that he lacks "any kind of information" and demanded that the Government delegate investigate. The spokesperson thus maintains an accusation of enormous gravity without publicly specifying who its recipients would be.
The regional offensive already encountered a judicial limit. The High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) rejected the eviction by the most urgent route on October 5 and dismissed the precautionary measure on October 7 after hearing the Delegation. The administrative inactivity denounced by the Community was not proven, and the court recalled that the legal period required for that appeal route had not elapsed. The decision affects the precautionary measures, with the merits of the procedure still pending.
In its allegations, the State Legal Service defended a gradual and proportionate intervention, with the dissolution of the meeting as a last resort. It stated that pedestrian and emergency service corridors had been enabled, access to buildings and transport protected, and a police deployment carried out. The complaint by Manos Limpias against the delegate also ended up being dismissed this Tuesday due to a formal defect in the exercise of popular action; the far-right Vox filed another complaint against him and the organizers that same day.
The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, defended this Wednesday on RNE the protection of the right to assembly and the maintenance of public order. He condemned the disturbances, which he attributes to people who approach Sol to provoke conflict situations, and highlighted the police reaction. "We will continue to protect demonstrators, of course, but also guaranteeing public order," he said in an intervention prior to the announcement of the regional complaint.
The housing protest continues
The encampment has remained in Sol since September 26, when a housing demonstration led to the installation of tents in front of the Community headquarters. The eviction of Maricarmen, 87, was one of the triggers for the mobilization. The woman was expelled from her Madrid home on September 23 and died on October 8, after remaining hospitalized. Her case has prompted new protests against evictions and the difficulties in accessing a home.
Institutional pressure has been accompanied by episodes of harassment against the campers. On October 12, groups of ultras tried to access the protest with fascist salutes and chants of 'Cara al Sol'. The participants formed a human chain and the Police intervened to prevent clashes. This context is part of the explanation that the Delegation maintains about the origin of the disturbances in the vicinity of the square.
The City Council led by José Luis Martínez-Almeida again demanded this Tuesday the dismantling of the encampment, alleging its growth, risks for a possible evacuation, and patrimonial damage. The new regional complaint incorporates, for its part, alleged damage to assets such as the Bear and the Strawberry Tree. The protest continues while the requirements of the City Council, judicial initiatives, and accusations from the regional government accumulate.
The socialist spokesperson in the City Council, Reyes Maroto, went to Sol today to accompany education professionals on strike and defended the peaceful nature of the encampment. "The mayor and the PP are choking on social mobilizations," she stated, pointing out that young people are demanding decent living conditions. Maroto also rejected any damage that may have occurred. "And if there has been any vandalism, of course I condemn it," she added.
