Barcelona's court of instruction number 7 has summonsed four further Spanish National Police officers to testify under investigation for their roles in the use of force in the city against the 2017 independence referendum. The move was confirmed by the city's councillor for Rights of the Public and Participation, Marc Serra.
🔴Quatre agents de Policia Nacional més investigats per les càrregues de l'#1oct. Des de @bcn_ajuntament els hem identificat com a responsables d'aquestes agressions a 6 veïns a l'Escola Víctor Català. Un cas especialment greu pq els ferits són persones grans en actitud pacífica. pic.twitter.com/mn6Tnk1g2Q
— Marc Serra Solé (@MarcSerraSole) September 10, 2019
The city council had asked the court to summons the agents it had been able to identify using force in video filmed that day at Víctor Català school. The images of that day, they said, show "officers pushing voters from behind with certain aggression and without any kind of justification". Their precise breakdown of the video in question also describes specific individuals being hit in the face, being kicked, and being grabbed by the ears and testicles.
The council argues it "wasn't necessary to twist necks, tread on people on the floor, hit their faces or use police defences against the upper extremities", especially when the voters were "scrupulously peaceful and calm". "At no point can any kind of active resistance, aggression or violence be seen, rather quite the opposite," they add.
This brings to 55 the number of National Police agents investigated over the events that day, including many of the most senior officers involved in the operation.