Politics · Spain · 2 hrs ago
Spain orders investigations into police actions during general strike protests
Police charges at Spain's general strike protests drew scrutiny after clashes during demonstrations on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska ordered specific investigations into the police actions, separate from the force’s routine internal reviews.
He also directed that tear gas not be used in future crowd-control operations.
Police and the Civil Guard reported 1,144 incidents and 47 arrests, but these provisional figures exclude Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Frente Amplio and Podemos called for Marlaska to be dismissed, and Podemos also urged Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to remove him from the PSOE election lists.
The investigations are now to examine the police actions, but no findings or decisions on the calls for Marlaska’s departure were reported.
Spain’s interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, ordered specific investigations into police actions during protests on the day of a general strike.
He also ordered that tear gas no longer be used in future crowd-control operations.
Leaders of Frente Amplio and Podemos called for Marlaska to be dismissed, accusing police of unjustified violence against protesters and pickets.
By 11 p.m. on Wednesday, police had reported 1,144 incidents linked to the strike and 47 arrests, in provisional figures that excluded Catalonia and the Basque Country.
- Who
- Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska ordered the investigations. Frente Amplio and Podemos leaders called for his dismissal.
- What
- Spain ordered investigations into police actions during general strike protests. The minister also ordered that tear gas not be used in future crowd-control operations.
- When
- Wednesday, 11 November 2026; the reported incidents and arrests were counted through 11 p.m.
- Where
- Spain. The protests included a demonstration in Madrid.
- Why
- The investigations are to assess whether police actions complied with current rules. Frente Amplio and Podemos said the police actions were unjustified and called for Marlaska to take responsibility.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the Interior Ministry
Frente Amplio and Podemos
Police response
Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the Interior Ministry
The minister ordered specific investigations into police actions and said tear gas should not be used in future crowd-control operations.
Frente Amplio and Podemos
Leaders said police used unjustified force against protesters and pickets.
Marlaska’s position
Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the Interior Ministry
The sources report that he ordered investigations; they do not state his response to calls for his dismissal.
Frente Amplio and Podemos
Frente Amplio and Podemos called for Marlaska to be dismissed, with Podemos also urging Pedro Sánchez to remove him from the PSOE election lists.
Frente Amplio and Podemos leaders called for Marlaska’s dismissal over police actions during general strike protests.
Police reported 1,144 incidents and 47 arrests linked to the strike, excluding figures from Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Marlaska ordered specific investigations into the police actions and directed that tear gas no longer be used in future crowd-control operations.
- Minister
- Fernando Grande-Marlaska
- Investigations
- Specific inquiries into police actions during general strike protests
- Police figures
- 1,144 incidents and 47 arrests by 11 p.m. Wednesday
- Excluded areas
- Catalonia and the Basque Country
- Future crowd control
- Tear gas is not to be used in future operations
4 sources
Marlaska promete investigar las cargas policiales mientras la izquierda le pide la dimisión
Marlaska ordena una investigación sobre las cargas policiales en las manifestaciones de la huelga general
Frente Amplio y Podemos reclaman a Sánchez el cese de Marlaska por las cargas policiales durante la huelga
What people are saying
How long will it take him to make the decision everyone knows he has to make, how long will it take him to dismiss a minister who is either sending the police against working-class people or has lost control of the State security forces?
We are talking about workers, split heads, broken ribs, swollen eyes burning from pepper spray (...) Are we supposed to keep quiet and not say that the Government is responsible for this intolerable repression?