Leader who tried to “help calm situation” in front of MTSS injured, complaint to be filed

Editorial in El País
The Home Office intervened this afternoon Fishery workers’ protest In front of the headquarters Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS)in Ciudad Vieja, which resulted in beatings, insults and rubber bullet shootings, which injured a union leader in the education sector, who will file a complaint “Lack of professionalism” From the police.

He told The National that it was an “absolutely unconscionable situation”. Sergio Sommarugamember of the National Union of Private Education Workers (Sintep).

Sommaruga said he was accompanying workers from the fisheries sector to mobilize this morning and the riot broke out when he was about to leave the area for work.

“I was leaving and I was saying goodbye to two people at another corner of Juncal and Piedras when I heard yelling and gunshots,” he said. Number of pitsSommaruga then chose to turn around and try to “help defuse the situation.”

He decided to move closer to where the conflict was taking place and raised his voice to ask for calm, but then he felt pain in his legs. Cooperative attitude“He promised.

According to Sommaruga, the person who hit him with the rubber bullet was a female police officer who “shot directly at him and tried to hit him.” “It caught me completely off guard and there was no need to shoot me,” he said.

Afterwards, Sommaruga went to a doctor, who took a plate, treated him, prescribed antibiotics and gave him time to rest. Even in pain, the union leader assured that he would file a complaint against the “absolutely irrational” attitude and “lack of professionalism” of the person who shot him.

Photo: Martín Tocar/El País

After the incident, Pit-Cnt released a statement In it, he said he “strongly opposes and condemns Police crackdownDuring one demonstration, “several workers were injured by the use of rubber bullets; shooting“.

“Peaceful demonstration is a fundamental right protected by our constitution and supported by the most basic democratic principles. The government’s violent response to workers’ legitimate demands is unacceptable and threatens democratic freedoms,” said Pit-Cnt.

He added: “Instead of protecting our citizens from the violence of organised crime in our communities, the national police appear to be focused on repressing workers and students demanding their rights.”

The union said it would start Legal Action He also called on the government to “condemn these serious incidents” and “identify and severely punish” those responsible for the violence. He also demanded a “public response” from the government.