A large knife shown in material sent to Government delegate Francisco Martín has become part of the dispute over the Puerta del Sol housing camp. Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida says the protest cannot be called peaceful while critics accuse him of turning a housing issue into a public-order fight.
A large knife shown in material sent to Government delegate Francisco Martín has become central to the dispute over the Puerta del Sol housing camp. Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida says the site cannot be described as a peaceful protest.
He pointed to alleged damage at the Oso y el Madroño monument and at the monument to victims of terrorism. He also cited the knife as a possible weapon if violence broke out. That is his concern.
Almeida said he hoped there would be no incidents. He questioned the mockery surrounding the image and asked whether anyone would normally keep such a large knife at home to cut bread or spread hummus.
По оценке Союза арендаторов, к 1 октября лагерь в Пуэрта-дель-Соль насчитывал 1 248 палаток, и его размер продолжал расти.
By October 1, the camp had 1,248 tents, according to the Union of Tenants estimate cited by El Constitucional. The number continued to rise.
The mayor rejected any suggestion that he had linked the camp to ETA. He said his criticism concerned actions and slogans tied to the protest. A projection on the Sol façade attacked Ayuso and Almeida. A coffin marked with Ayuso's name was also removed after television cameras filmed it.
Almeida referred to paving stones taken from nearby works. Supporters said the stones were meant for the tents. He treated the episode as another reason to reject the camp's peaceful label. He also said chants at the site went beyond a housing demonstration.
The argument has moved beyond the square. Almeida told Óscar López to calm down and said his position was not an accusation linking the protest to ETA. The dispute follows earlier coverage of the camp's organisation and size in an earlier report.
Делегация правительства в Мадриде во главе с Франсиско Мартином заявляет, что будет действовать строго в рамках закона и уважать право на собрания. Тем временем правительство Мадрида утверждает, что центральные власти бездействуют, а администрация Исабель Диас Айюсо добивается через суд срочных мер для ликвидации лагеря.
Asked about a recent March for Dignity that supported Ceuta and called for elections, Almeida said he opposed insults against Pedro Sánchez. He said that remained his position even when the insults came from a demonstration involving the PP.
Political disagreement was acceptable to him. Abuse was not. He also recalled his criticism of protests outside the PSOE headquarters on Ferraz Street, where residents and businesses had to endure the disruption.
His rule is simple. Violence cannot be excused because of ideology. Almeida said he condemned every violent act and incident, regardless of its source. He criticised people who rejected violence only when it suited them.
The mayor also questioned the protest's choice of targets. A saucepan protest reached Madrid City Hall, while the housing camp stood outside the regional government headquarters. Almeida asked why similar pressure had not reached Moncloa, even though municipal, regional and national authorities all have housing responsibilities.
His argument is that the Spanish Government should face the same criticism as Madrid City Hall and the Community of Madrid. He pointed to the national housing situation as another reason to question the absence of protests at Moncloa.
The dispute has now entered an administrative and judicial phase. Madrid City Hall asked the Government delegation to act immediately over the camp. The regional government filed or prepared legal requests for urgent measures that could lead to its dissolution.
RTVE reported on the camp's continuation and on Almeida's earlier demands for its immediate removal. El Constitucional and Democrata described the competing positions of the regional authorities and the Government delegation.
Public space is part of the argument too. Madrid City Hall said the Oso y el Madroño monument had been damaged and put fencing around it to prevent more harm. Representatives of the PP and the mayor's office cited photographs of a large knife and paving stones in the camp.
Those images are their evidence against calling the protest peaceful. Más Madrid representatives said there had been no incidents since the camp began.
The housing dispute remains unresolved. Almeida has made security and public order his test for whether the demonstration is peaceful. Protest is legitimate in his view, but not when it involves vandalism, insults or violence.
