Overwhelming support for the police following the Sepia Fair incident
The police were basically telling them to get out, but they refused. Spray had to be used.
Last weekend, two people were arrested as a result of the incident that took place in the restaurants’ marquee for the Sepia Fair in Puerto Alcudia, an incident that aroused a good deal of controversy.
Alcudia police are very good at communicating incidents, better than any other island police force. This is perhaps why there can seem to be more incidents in Alcudia than elsewhere, as a number of them are subsequently picked up in the media from the force’s Facebook page. On Saturday, April 13, three incidents in the space of sixteen minutes were recorded on the list of incidents.
At 3.05, the police and the Guardia Civil responded to an “argument” at the old tennis courts on the Carretera Arta, where the buildings have been occupied by squatters. One arrest was made for alleged gender violence. At the same time 3.05 - there was an incident involving three tourists on the Paseo Marítimo. Sixteen minutes later came the incident in the marquee, the bare bones of which were outlined on the list.
However, flesh was to be put on these bones, and to such an extent that the town hall found it necessary to issue a statement addressing information that “misrepresented” the events. These were that the police were called because one person was being targeted by a group of eight individuals. “Officers acted to prevent a serious confrontation.” But the officers who initially attended the scene had to call for reinforcements. The police themselves had become targets, and the police’s response, said the town hall, “always took into account the requirements of proportionality”.
The police themselves have said that the group ignored their orders, and I am told
that this was indeed the case. The police were basically telling them to get out, but they refused. Spray had to be used. The two who were arrested subsequently caused damage at the police station, the police adding that they both have previous.
Why did this incident cause the controversy it did? This was mainly to do with some reporting, among which was that the “organisation” of the fair had regretted the “totally disproportionate” behaviour of officers towards “six young people of the town”. This organisation called for the resignation of the town hall’s councillor for the police, Juan Sendin (Vox). “This is what happens when the police receive orders from above to act with violence and when material dangerous to citizens is permitted to be used.”
At the time, I wondered who this organisation
was exactly. This aside, and while Vox can’t number me among their supporters, I would very much doubt that Sr. Sendin has been ordering acts of violence. The town hall wished to make clear that the police response was proportionate, and the police - as they have stated on Facebook in the past - have been grateful to Sr. Sendin for the attention he has given the police force. It makes no difference if one supports Vox or not. If a councillor is supporting the police in dealing with delinquency, then he merits praise.
Since the incident, I have heard nothing but positive comments about the police action on the night (and bear in mind they were involved with multiple incidents) and on their efforts in general. An impression given is one of indulging in politics, when the real issue is that of public safety and security.