On 12 February the traditional Commission on Security and Municipal Administration was held in the City Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz (the video was made public at the end of last week). Debates of the European Parliament EH Bildu's municipal group addressed a number of questions to the Security Council, Marian Gutierrez, about the attitude of the Municipal Police in the U30 strike and about the action of a particular municipal police officer. Gutiérrez is a member of the PSE and is jointly in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Before the questions were asked, two videos were reproduced in the room with the account of the facts. One of them has been broadcast by ARGIA and the other has not been made public precisely because the Municipal Police threatened not to do so.

A municipal police officer, with his face covered, grabs a journalist from Hala Bedi by his neck, pushes and removes his camera, as seen in the video. Then the same local police give an unwarranted blow to a young man who is attached to the wall. According to López de Aberasturi, of EH Bildu, in the second video it is heard that the police ask for the bill of the camera and threatens the journalist: “We know who you are” (we know who you are). López de Aberasturi addressed several questions to Security Councilor Gutiérrez. Among other things, if on the day of the strike the Municipal Police had the order to hinder the work of journalists, even a journalist from Vitoria-Gasteiz denounced the persecution of the Municipal Police after the strike, and if the Security Department investigating the “excesses” of that local police, or if it intends to do so.

The Department of Security investigates and charges municipal police

Gutierrez answered outraged. He said that an investigation was initiated “in all” cases in which a possible inadequate attitude was known and that if it was verified, the corresponding file was opened to the Municipal Police: “Of course.” Gutiérrez also commented that the ARGIA video has been seen before and that the department has researched the activity of this particular agent, and that the research is closed: “Negative. There have been no positions that don’t fit their work.”

The simple question of whether the Municipal Police had instructions to make the work of journalists difficult, Gutiérrez sees it as a “lack of respect”. In his view, respect for the work of journalists is "total". However, “this does not mean that they can do anything in a situation where there is some tension.” Before being detained, Hala Bedi's journalist said he had received three warnings for overcoming the police's security cord. In the video, however, it is observed and heard that the Municipal Police officers put the security cord below. The journalist has told ARGIA that it is wrong that a safety cord should be set up and that he had not been warned of anything in advance.

López de Aberasturi, from EH Bildu, considered “scandalous” and “embarrassing” Gutiérrez’s response. In particular, those who, having seen images, started an investigation and did not take action against the police. He reproached him that the security line was implanted later, so he lied, and that with his attitude the police recognized as "good" the threats to the journalist. The other political parties did not take the floor in the debate.

Attack the journalist to ensure his safety

Regarding the police threat to the journalist, Gutiérrez replied that the police also suffered threats from the protesters. They didn't behave like "Little Sisters of Charity." On the other hand, he argued that the measures taken against the journalist were in fact his own protection. “Overcoming the safety cord could jeopardize its own security,” Gutiérrez explained, and as the police’s task was to ensure the safety of all people, they kept it performing this task.

The security councilor ended his speech with a determined defense of the Municipal Police: “The Municipal Police has room for improvement in many respects, but it cannot be doubted that they are genuine professionals”