Inspector sacked over police courthouse bust against protestors
May 15 activists had already turned themselves in when riot squad stormed building
The Catalonia interior department on Thursday removed an inspector of the Mossos d'Esquadra from his post after a brigade of 50 officers from the riot squad stormed a Barcelona courthouse cafeteria on October 6 to arrest six protestors from the May 15 movement who had already turned themselves in.
Joan Mallafré, who acted as the link between the judiciary and the Mossos, failed to inform judges and lawyers of the operation, which met with a furious response and a call from the regional High Court for interior chief Felipe Puig to act.
Mallafré's post is to be left vacant as the Catalan police force undergoes restructuring. Mallafré, meanwhile, was on Tuesday reassigned to coordinate emergency planning with local forces at the Barcelona police control center.
