Politics · Spain · 11 hrs ago
Madrid court opens preliminary inquiry into pepper spray incident
A Madrid judge has opened a preliminary inquiry into a complaint against Ana Vázquez, a lawmaker from Spain’s People’s Party, over a pepper spray incident at Congress.
On September 23, Vázquez displayed a pepper spray canister in the chamber to protest what she described as women’s insecurity in Ceuta.
The spray later went off in a Congress bathroom, and gas spread through the building’s ventilation system.
A visitor from Mauritania’s parliament vomited and received medical care, while about a dozen other people were examined.
The complaint alleges that Vázquez may have committed an injury offence, but the judge has asked for a medical injury report from the complainants.
A possible parliamentary punishment was put on hold when the legislature ended ahead of an early election, and the judicial inquiry is now proceeding.
A Madrid judge has opened preliminary proceedings over a pepper spray incident involving Ana Vázquez, a lawmaker from the People’s Party.
Judge Pedro Merchante asked the lawmakers who filed the complaint to provide medical injury reports before deciding whether to open a formal investigation.
The incident took place in Congress on 23 September, when Vázquez displayed a pepper spray canister during a plenary session.
The spray later activated in a Congress bathroom, and several people required medical attention.
Congress’s disciplinary process against Vázquez ended after the early dissolution of parliament ahead of elections called for 29 November.
- Who
- Judge Pedro Merchante opened the proceedings after a complaint against People’s Party lawmaker Ana Vázquez.
- What
- The judge opened preliminary proceedings over the pepper spray incident and requested medical injury reports from the complainants.
- When
- The incident occurred on 23 September. The proceedings were reported on 15 October 2026.
- Where
- The incident took place in Spain’s Congress in Madrid.
- Why
- Vázquez displayed the pepper spray to protest what she described as insecurity faced by women in Ceuta.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Thousands of immigrants arrived, a development Vázquez later cited in her protest about women’s safety in Ceuta.
Vázquez displayed a pepper spray canister during a plenary session of Congress.
The spray activated in a Congress bathroom, spread through ventilation ducts and led to several areas being sealed off.
Judge Pedro Merchante opened preliminary proceedings and asked the complainants to provide medical injury reports.
- Judge
- Pedro Merchante
- Lawmaker
- Ana Vázquez, People’s Party
- Incident date
- 23 September
- Location
- Spain’s Congress, Madrid
- Requested evidence
- Medical injury reports from the complainants
- Election date
- 29 November
4 sources
Un juez abre diligencias por el gas pimienta exhibido por una diputada del PP en el Congreso
Un juez abre diligencias por el caso del gas pimienta de la diputada del PP Ana Vázquez en el Congreso
Un juzgado admite a trámite una denuncia por el incidente con el bote de gas pimienta de una diputada del PP en el Congreso
Un juez abre diligencias por el incidente del gas pimienta de una diputada del PP
What people are saying
The people responsible must not confuse the impossibility of imposing a sanction because of the early dissolution of Congress with an absolution of their conduct
politically responsible for a serious breach of the rules