The Examining Magistrate’s Court no. 7 of Barcelona closes the preliminary investigation into the 1 October police violence in Barcelona and continues proceedings against 45 police officers

The Examining Magistrate’s Court no. 7 of Barcelona, which is investigating the 1 October police violence in Barcelona, argues that the police intervention was ‘clearly disproportionate in general’ and that some of the officers’ actions, such as hitting people in the face or throwing them down a set of stairs, where they fell on top of other people, did not meet ‘any test of proportionality.’ The judge explains that the acts could constitute not only crimes of causing injuries, minor and otherwise, but also crimes of torture and crimes against moral integrity committed by a public authority or officer. Òmnium Cultural appeals the decision, asks for the investigation of eleven other Spanish agents and for the extension of the current investigating proceedings as regards a twelfth agent. In January 2024, Barcelona Provincial Court dismisses the appeals from the defence and from the accusation, as well as from the Government of Catalonia and uphelds the decision of the pre-trial judge.