Eight Activists in Madrid Face Trial Over Protest Against Israeli Team. Eight participants in a protest against the Israeli team at La Vuelta have been summoned to court. The activists see the case as an attempt to intimidate demonstrators. Authorities accuse them of several offenses.
Eight activists became subjects of a criminal case after a protest during the La Vuelta Ciclista a España stage in Becerril de la Sierra, where in September 2025 they blocked the route in protest against the participation of the Israel Premier Tech team. Five months after the incident, all of them received court summonses and are due to appear before the court in Collado Villalba on October 21. The protest was met with intervention by the Civil Guard, the use of pepper spray, and the detention of one participant. The other seven only received notice of the case in February 2026.
According to investigators, the activists face four charges: disobedience, resisting authority, disturbing public order, and assaulting law enforcement officers. Together, these charges could result in a prison sentence of three to six years. The defendants' lawyer claims the protest was entirely peaceful, posed no threat to athletes or police, and that the prosecution appears to be an attempt to prevent future demonstrations.
The activists themselves describe the situation as "an example of double standards" by the government and consider the case a form of pressure on civil society. They plan to hold a press conference outside the prosecutor's office, supported by Amnesty International, to draw attention to the situation and emphasize that their actions were nonviolent. According to them, all allegations about sticks or threats are unfounded — it was about parts of banners.
During the protest, according to participants, several people were injured, and one of the detainees reported bruises and damaged glasses. The organizers of the protest insist that the athletes were not harmed, and the only consequence was a forced detour of the route. La Vuelta 2025 champion Jonas Vingegaard noted in an interview that the protest nearly affected the race, but thanks to police actions, the participants were able to continue the competition.
The situation in Becerril is reminiscent of another case, when in Valladolid four activists were also prosecuted for protesting against Israel Premier Tech during an individual time trial. At that time, the prosecutor’s office demanded up to 25 months in prison for disturbing public order and resisting the police. In both cases, the participants do not deny their presence, but insist their actions were peaceful.
Authorities are considering reclassifying the charges as administrative offenses, but for now the case remains criminal. To raise funds for legal defense, activists have launched a dedicated website. They have received support from various civil society organizations, which are demanding not only the acquittal of the accused, but also the severance of diplomatic and trade relations between Spain and Israel, as well as a ban on Israeli teams participating in the country’s sporting and cultural events.
In the context of ongoing protests and legal proceedings in Madrid, it is worth noting that local authorities have previously faced high-profile decisions on controversial issues. For example, a court recently temporarily revoked the status of the Madrid government building as a place of memory, which also sparked public response — you can read more about this in the article about the decision on the building at Puerta del Sol.
La Vuelta Ciclista a España is one of the country's largest sporting events, annually attracting attention not only from fans but also from various social movements. In recent years, protests against the participation of Israeli teams have become regular, and the response of authorities and the courts to such actions remains a subject of public debate. In Spain, criminal prosecution for participating in peaceful protests raises questions about the boundaries of freedom of expression and the permissible forms of civil disobedience.
