The government delegation, shielded from the protest against police violence while Rodríguez hides

PalmaApproximately 400 people have demanded this Tuesday the resignation of the Spanish government delegate, Alfonso Rodríguez, and of the police officials for the charges by the National Police against participants of the anti-saturation demonstration on July 26. The protest took place in front of the state government delegation, which the Police had secured by land and air: four National Police vans, a dozen officers and civil guards at the door monitored the demonstrators, in addition to the images captured by a helicopter and a drone that flew over the area during the two hours that the protest lasted, peaceful and civic at all times.

The protest, called by Less Tourism, More Life at 12 noon, lasted almost two hours during which constant reproaches were made to the Police and to Rodríguez. The delegate, who on Monday assured he was willing to meet with the protesters at any time, has chosen not to appear publicly. One of the platform's spokespeople, Jaume Pujol, stated that "the violent reaction of the Police against peaceful protesters" was unjustified. "They told us they were following orders from the Government Delegation," he remarked, adding that "the Police are lying" when they point out that there were violent protesters. "There are hundreds of videos that deny this. There was no attack on the Police or on tourists," he added.

Pujol also explained that the Police not only prevented access to Les Voltes until its capacity of 2,000 people, as agreed with the government delegation, was reached, but also closed access to Dalt Murada to follow the reading of the manifesto. The spokesperson denounced that there were police officers who charged against the demonstrators during the reading of the manifesto in a "disproportionate" manner. He also criticized that the Police hindered the access of healthcare professionals who came to the site to attend about twenty injured people.

Another of the spokespersons, Dani Comas, lashed out at Cort for not providing an alternative space to Les Voltes or an electrical connection point – it had been requested – for the reading of the manifesto, which had to be done with a generator from the organizers.

'Police torture and murder'; 'out with the occupying forces'; 'a people fighting is not criminal'; 'you fascists are the terrorists'; 'we are a people, not a colony'; 'being a police officer, I would be ashamed'; 'long live the struggle of the Mallorcan people'; 'more healthcare workers, less Police' are some of the slogans that could be heard, along with banners where one could read 'Less Police, More Life'; 'who protects us from the Police'; and 'Police: protection or provocation?'.

The whistles have been loud at different moments of the protest, which some tourists watched with curiosity. In fact, visitors have had to listen to slogans like 'Tourists, go home', because there have been no lack of anti-tourism demands. Representatives from MÉS per Mallorca could be seen in the area, but none from the PSIB, the party of the government delegate, even though the socialists have positioned themselves against police charges.

To conclude, the organizers recalled that the next demonstration will take place on August 8 in Sóller.