The mayor of A Coruña, the socialist Inés Rey, has condemned the “violent acts” registered yesterday in the city, after the protests against “fascism” coinciding with an act by Vox and, later, against “police repression”, a mobilization that ended with altercations in front of the Government Subdelegation and with damage to urban furniture.
“It is not the way”, Rey affirmed, while emphasizing that this type of episode only manages to “give more wings to the far-right”. In her appearance, she insisted that the response to extremism must come through political and democratic channels, and not through violence.
“Fascism is fought at the ballot box and with politics”
“I don't know at what point fascism is fought by burning urban furniture beyond amplifying the message of the far-right”, the mayor stated, defending that the way to confront such ideologies is “at the ballot box and with politics”.
Rey explained that, in contrast to the morning's call, a “peaceful” demonstration was promoted, although subsequently “there are violent groups” that, she said, disrupted the development of the concentration. “What I condemn is that violence is exercised and a concentration that was being peaceful is delegitimized,” she remarked.
30 damaged containers and damages yet to be quantified
In response to journalists' questions, the mayor indicated that the damage to urban furniture and containers, which have been “many”, is still being assessed, and specified that, for now, 30 damaged containers have been counted after they were set on fire. She also indicated that the total extent of the damages, which she described as “considerable”, still needs to be quantified.
The City Council's position on police action
Regarding the police operation and the type of intervention, Inés Rey clarified that she does not coordinate the operations and that, as mayor, she “does not assess” the action. Asked directly if she condemned the conduct of the demonstrators or also that of the agents, she replied: “I did not see the Police burning containers”.
The mayor insisted that there are “violent groups” and stated that she does not know “where they come from”, although she reiterated that her condemnation is directed at that group and not at the concentration which, she defended, was developing peacefully at first.
Call to the political class
During her speech, Rey called on political representatives to confront models “rationally” and warned of the polarization drift that, in her opinion, is raising tension in the city. “Nobody wins, we all lose”, she said, before adding that “the climate is unbreathable”.
The mayor admitted her sadness at a scenario she described as a “battlefield” and insisted that “fascism is fought at the ballot box, with politics, with debate of ideas and, above all, by voting”, a message that, in her opinion, those with public responsibilities should convey.
In her appearance, Inés Rey also conveyed her support “to all the injured” and to the merchants and hoteliers who were affected by the incidents registered in the city.