Tension in Mataró: three teenagers arrested in the eviction of a family with minors

BarcelonaThe eviction of a family with four minors in the Cerdanyola neighborhood of Mataró has ended with three teenagers arrested and several charges by the Mossos d'Esquadra to execute the judicial eviction. The events took place early this morning on Gatassa avenue, where, according to the Mossos, about fifty people gathered to prevent police action and threw objects at the police line. The Mossos report throwing cobblestones and stones, for which five officers were slightly injured.

The ARRO public order unit of the Catalan police ended up dispersing the demonstrators and the three arrests were made. The eviction was also carried out. As denounced by the Mataró Housing Union and can be seen in various videos published on social networks, during the dispersal maneuvers the Mossos fired foam projectiles. Regarding the police forces that acted in the area to disperse the crowd, they have counted two burnt containers, damage to urban material, and graffiti.

The union has denounced that, during the operation, the police acted with "great violence", insisting that there is a "limit" situation in the neighborhood in relation to housing. "That is why we need to meet, share and analyze what has happened today and decide how to organize ourselves in the face of a situation that is already unsustainable", stated the union, which has called a meeting this afternoon.

The CUP demands explanations

Criticism has also arrived for this police action from the political sphere. The CUP deputy in Parliament Pilar Castillejo has requested the appearance of the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, and the director general of the police, Josep Lluís Trapero, to give explanations for the "gratuitous violence" in this eviction. In a press conference from Parliament, Castillejo added that her group has requested information from the department about these events, and lamented that the agents have thrown foam bullets.