The eighth night of demonstrations in front of the PSOE headquarters in protest against the amnesty for the leaders of the trial coincided with the conclusion this morning of the agreements of the Socialists with the PNV and the Canary Islands Coalition to end the investiture of Pedro Sánchez with an absolute Majority of 179 MPs. After this Thursday’s protests, which resulted in 24 arrests following isolated clashes between riot police and small groups of violent ultras, demonstrators have returned this evening to stand in front of the police line on Ferraz Street and shouts against the investiture and Chanting insults at Sánchez. Police reinforced the establishment in the area with cordons on the streets next to the socialist headquarters. Rain in the capital reduced the turnout, which was smaller than the 8,000 people who had gathered the night before, although it was also very large under red umbrellas. The government delegation estimated participation at 4,000 people. This afternoon in Málaga, the incumbent president was received by about 500 people who demonstrated in front of the building where he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a meeting ahead of the meeting of European Socialists in the capital Málaga at the weekend.
The first demonstrators arrived in Ferraz around 7 p.m., where they encountered a larger police presence than in recent days. While the situation was temporarily under control on Tuesday, the unrest only lasted about 20 minutes on Thursday, after which a certain calm returned to the area. Police reinforcements this evening include a cordon of cars at the corner of Calle de la Princesa and Calle del Marqués de Urquijo, as well as agents deployed on all sides. The shouts do not vary: “Christian, not Muslim Spain”, “Puigdemont in prison” and “Pedro Sánchez, son of a bitch”. New songs have been added, such as “Amnesty is a tyranny” and “Sánchez die”. In the crowd, one protester even attacked a La Sexta cameraman, shouting “Get out, get out.” Boos to the media were a constant at this protest. After 10 p.m., fireworks were thrown from the protest area at riot police stationed behind the fences blocking access to the area surrounding the PSOE national headquarters on Ferraz Street.
From that moment on, firecrackers and bottles were thrown towards the police cordon for almost half an hour. The officers used the public address system to call for the concentration to be broken up at 10:20 p.m. after repeated requests to avoid throwing objects. The increasing rain calmed the front rows of the demonstration and the throwing of objects began to subside around eleven o’clock at night. The bars in the area also recorded lower visitor numbers at this time compared to the previous night. But from 11 p.m. onwards, fireworks were fired again, especially at the corner where the journalists stayed behind the police line. Torches were also lit in the demonstrators’ area.
Image from this evening of the demonstrators in front of the PSOE headquarters in Madrid. Samuel Sanchez
The successive protests attracted street vendors of Spanish flags to the area. “Flags to protest against Sánchez, come, come,” shouts a vendor without an umbrella. And it was the rain that reduced the turnout. Faced with the massive abandonment of the concentration camp, some of those arriving overturned the decisions of those who left in search of protection. “They’re armchair patriots,” says one of the newcomers. The rain has also tempered the anger of some in attendance, and only those who gather at the corner between Urquijo and Ferraz keep up the shouts and whistles against Sánchez. Every time it became clear, the demonstration filled up again. However, there were fewer right-wing extremist or Nazi symbols among the participants this Friday. After 11:40 p.m. only the most radical people remained, most of them drunk, insulting the police and the press. They tried to provoke his intervention, but the police remained immobile. At this point, some charges had already been filed on other days.
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Just over 500 people reportedly demonstrated in front of the government delegation in Malaga where Pedro Sánchez met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a meeting ahead of the meeting of European Socialists in the capital Malaga at the weekend Nacho Sanchez. Many of the demonstrators, draped in Spanish flags, waved whistles and made noise while chanting “Pedro Sánchez, son of a bitch,” “Pedro Sánchez, ETA puppet,” or “Pedro Sánchez, faggot.” People of all ages took part in the protest, which took place at both the front entrance and back of the building. Many of them protest and insult the incumbent government president from the balcony of their house or behind the fence of the housing estates in front of the government headquarters in Málaga. Some Vox leaders were also seen, such as MP Patricia Rueda and the party’s provincial president, Antonio Sevilla. The tension rose after 7:00 p.m. when a group of ultras, consisting of about 50 young men, blocked traffic on the promenade before an important event with shouts of “Felipe, Freemason, defend your nation” or “No Muslim, Spain is Christian” section Police Equipment. Dozens of National Police and local police officers kept protesters at bay throughout the afternoon until Pedro Sánchez left his rally.