The Mossos d'Esquadra (Spanish police) is investigating the foam bullet fired at photojournalist Joan Gálvez.

BarcelonaThe Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) have opened an internal investigation into the foam bullet shooting of photojournalist Joan Gálvez while covering the October 15 demonstration outside the Israeli consulate in Barcelona. The case spread on social media because a video captured the moment the victim was hit by the projectile with such force that he was knocked to the ground. In fact, according to his statement as a complainant to the Mossos d'Esquadra Internal Affairs, the shotgun was fired from just seven meters away. The force's website explains that the firing range for these projectiles is 5 to 25 meters. In any case, the shot hit him in the arm, when regulations indicate that the shot should always be aimed from the waist down. Given the short distance and the accuracy of the shotgun used, everything points to the shot being aimed at the young man's torso.

As seen in the video, Gálvez and other people were already leaving the vicinity of the demonstration, at a calm pace, without any tense situation, altercation or confrontation observed. The photojournalist was conveniently accredited with the slogan "Press" clearly printed on both sides of his helmet to identify him as a news professional. And yet, he was shot from behind, which, according to one of the witnesses, was fired at close range. Minutes before, an officer who could not be identified as the actual shooter, upon seeing that he was being captured by his camera, snapped at him: "Watch out for the photo".

The foam bullets used by the Mossos d'Esquadra are from the Swiss manufacturer Brugger & Thomet (B&T), measuring 46x40 millimeters. These are the SIR model, a less powerful version of the SIR-X, bullets that the Catalan police's riot squad used before they were banned. However, their effects can also be serious if they hit sensitive areas.

"I felt a very strong blow to my arm and fell to the ground from the impact, with unbearable pain," the photographer explained to ARA. "I was conscious, as they explained to me, but without reacting to the stimuli and writhing in pain." The young man, born in Argentona in 2001, is receiving psycholegal support from Irídia, which is preparing a criminal complaint for the events.

Gálvez needed several visits to medical centers, as, beyond the blueness caused by the hematoma, he also had an open wound that was beginning to become infected. In his statement to the Mossos d'Esquadra, he provided medical reports from the same day, as well as from October 17 and 18. In addition to physical pain, there is also emotional pain: two years ago, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder following an experience while covering the 2023 Moroccan earthquake as a photojournalist.

Following this incident, the photojournalist explains that his symptoms have reactivated, including nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, anxiety, agoraphobia, and difficulty sleeping. In fact, he was scheduled to embark with a rescue NGO in the Mediterranean next week to document their work, but he decided not to because he is not yet emotionally stable or physically operational, as the discomfort in his arm prevents him from working normally with photographic equipment. Gálvez had worked for the Sipa Press and Anadolu agencies, and his work has been published in international media such as The Times, National Geographic, Political or Reuters.

Ton Mansilla, a lawyer for Irídia's customer service and complaints department, believes the incidents are "particularly serious, as they were a completely unlawful act, carried out above the waist, without any circumstances that would have authorized the officer to use the pistols." For the lawyer, part of the seriousness lies in the fact that "it was carried out against a journalist who was carrying out his work at the time." The organization also demands that the Mossos d'Esquadra eradicate this type of bullet: "We have managed to ban SIR-X bullets due to their danger, but cases like this show that SIR bullets can also be dangerous, especially if used, as has happened, in an unlawful manner."

Contacted by the ARA (Argentine National Police), the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) confirmed that they had opened a confidential investigation into the incident, but did not provide details.