18th March: Police Responses to the Charges made on Protesters

The Mossos d'Esquadra (“Squad Lads”) are the Autonomous Catalan Police Force. Their actions on the 18^th March included hitting journalists whilst wearing no identification numbers and sending a 10 year old to hospital. This isn't isolated, articles are often published recording beatings in custody, illegal detentions, etc. The riot police are particularly hated.

Following the events of the 18^th March, the question arises: how do the mossos themselves view the events? Are they only following orders or do they actually derive enjoyment from their jobs? Do they know what the protesters are demonstrating about? Do they care? The answers to these questions can be sought on “foropolicial”, an internet forum for police officers. Below are some of our favourite quotes.

Following links to videos of the police charging on students sitting in the road holding books, the following comments were made by officers on the internet forum:

“Impeccable police action, it was about time and get well soon to our colleagues. A police officer and ex-student.”

“Today at 8pm there's another demonstration in the same 'Plaza Universidad', this morning 900 students demonstrated, this evening it could really kick off, best wishes and to the BRIMO [Mobile Brigade] workmates: go for them!!!!!” (from the moderator of the forum)

“I hope that they go back to give those bastards what they deserve. Come on Dragones!!!” [a riot police division]

“Those who refer to themselves as “students” (allegedly) instead of “manifest social parasites” have too much free time to try and do bad things and, due to their large numbers and perseverance, achieve it.

A great future awaits Spain with these idlers' projects with fascist-minded absurd demands. P.S.: Give a thrashing to these friendly citizens with infinite rights and zero obligations.”

“For my part I don't see many students, but a lot of layabouts.”

“The chases on the road are great, the students they chased after must have already been marked out.”

“... Congratulations to our colleagues in the BRIMO...It seems to me that there was a lot of scum, camouflaged as students”.

[Ironically, this contributor has the signature: “Better to keep your mouth shut and look like an idiot than open it and demonstrate that you really are one.”]

“If you don't want to get bruised, stay at home. I was at home and I didn't get hit at all...”

“They complain because they got hit on the legs (such as established in the police criteria for causing as little damage as possible) ... therefore, my good mossos, you already know what to do: HARD AND AT THE HEAD!!!”

“A great thrashing given by our colleagues... Right on time for the mossos.”

“Take a firm hand against this gang of parasites.”

[This one's signed: “Bring back Don Pelayo”... Pelayo is the mythical Spanish hero who started the “reconquest” of the Iberian Peninsula after the ruling Germanic tribes had been forced into the Northern mountains by North African armies and Muslim civilisation].

“They hit the journalist on the legs, how did he appear with a burst eye????? I'm sure he's from the Republican Red channel and that he hit himself with a broken bottle, the stupid idiot hahahahahahaha”

[Referring to a video of a journalist who has been hit in the head and has blood running down his face (see 0.40)]

“It was about time that they taught the entire gang of scum, layabouts, pseudo-squatters and varied rabble, that if they want to protest they have to conform to the law.”

“Ah, and the charge, it's not one of the hardest I've seen, but sure, you've hit a journalist, and a 10 year-old boy, I'd like to know what the fuck he was doing in a protest.”

Referring to the students attacking a line of mossos with the poles of their flags on Wednesday night:

“In these protests the students form a minority. Really there are the same instigators as always, and they're not even from this country. Anarchists, squatters and layabouts from central Europe, who have found a land of milk and honey in Barcelona and Catalonia. What happened tonight is also police violence???? Who provoked it???? Where the fuck are the shotguns to blow them to pieces, why do the Dragones have to put up with being hit with sticks when we have long weapons???? We have to show these idiots what real police severity is for fuck's sake.”

“I propose that the strikes should be directed from the neck up and carried out by a wooden stick with a nail at the end... that really would be constitutional”

With an image of a chainsaw:

“I think with one of these we could finish up quicker...”

“Incidentally, does anyone want to explain to me what the Bologna Process is all about to explain why there are so many demonstrations all over the country?

MY FULLEST SUPPORT FOR THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE Mossos d'Esquadra, THE BARCELONA MOVEMENT OF THE FAR LEFT – SQUATTERS – SCUM - “UN-WASHED” IS MUCH MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF SPAIN...”

[He signs off:
“Brutal corporatism? For my part I say:

Long live Guantanamo”]