Judge to quiz police chiefs over Barcelona 15-M charge

A Barcelona judge has ordered the principal political and police overseers of the regional Mossos d'Esquadra and the city's security force to appear in court over the forced removal of 15-M movement protestors from the Plaza de Cataluña last May 27.

Judge Josep María Miquel Porras has summoned the director general of the Mossos, Manel Prat, and the former City Hall security chief, Assumpta Escarp, as well as police commandants Antoni Antolín, in charge of deployment, and David Bordas, the anti-riot chief.

The protestors were dislodged from their temporary camp because city authorities said the square needed to be cleaned. There was also concern that a Barcelona victory in the Champions League final on May 28 could lead to a flashpoint in the square, where celebrations of the team's victories traditionally take place.

The resulting police charge was, according to a report by the regional prosecutor's office, "excessive and disproportionate." The eviction caused a raft of complaints from the protestors against politicians and the police, including criticism for the regional interior chief, Felipe Puig.

The matter was admitted to court after the judge had taken statements from those affected and examined graphic evidence to determine whether the protestors' rights had been infringed. The court report highlighted the "intimidating, threatening and degrading" treatment meted out by the Mossos.

Furthermore, the judge noted that the officers involved did not wear their identity numbers and surmised this might have been an order issued by Puig. Around 120 people were hurt during the operation. Images of injured protestors were swiftly diffused around the world, leading to an avalanche of complaints against Puig, a member of the CiU nationalist government in Catalonia.