The Sindicat d’Estudiants de Valencia claims a Vox councillor and two others broke into its headquarters. The mayor has requested a report but has not commented on the incident. The case has sparked political and legal reactions.
Tensions have escalated in Valencia after the Sindicat d’Estudiants de Valencia accused Juanma Badenas, a Vox councillor and member of the city government, of illegally entering the student union’s headquarters last Friday. According to the organization, Badenas and two companions forced entry by breaking the lock, searched rooms and desks, and recorded videos inside the premises. The incident, captured by security cameras, has triggered calls for Badenas’s immediate resignation and legal action against him.
The student union, which has occupied the municipal space on Avenida de Cataluña for three years through a public concession, described the event as a serious violation of democratic rights and labeled it a politically motivated attack. Mario Tercero, the union’s coordinator, stated that the act crossed “all red lines” and accused the city government of attempting to justify the entry as an inspection. The union’s legal advisor, Víctor Taibo, indicated that a formal complaint has been filed in court and that further legal measures, including a lawsuit, are being prepared. He also raised concerns that personal data and organizational documents may have been photographed or otherwise compromised during the incident.
Valencia’s mayor, María José Catalá of the Partido Popular, has so far refrained from commenting on the councillor’s actions. Instead, she has requested a detailed legal report to clarify the circumstances and motivations behind Badenas’s entry into the publicly owned premises. Catalá emphasized the need to review all relevant background information before making any decisions or statements regarding possible responsibilities. She noted that, in her view, she would not have acted in the same way, but insisted on waiting for the official evaluation.
The case has drawn widespread support for the Sindicat d’Estudiants from teachers’ groups, political parties, and unions, including PSPV-PSOE, Compromís, UGT, CC OO, STEPV, CGT, Podemos, and several civic organizations. Many have condemned the incident as an attack on fundamental rights and called for accountability. Compromís candidate Mónica Oltra described the event as a politically charged act intended to intimidate dissenting voices. Socialist spokesperson Borja Sanjuan announced plans to submit a motion in the next city council session demanding Badenas’s censure and removal, arguing that the councillor’s actions undermine civil and political rights.
Juanma Badenas, who is responsible for municipal property in the Catalá administration, has previously faced judicial investigation over an allegedly irregular contract during his tenure at the city’s employment foundation. In 2025, he was suspended from Vox due to the ongoing investigation, temporarily leaving the Partido Popular without a majority in the council. Badenas later returned to both the party and the local government.
Municipal spaces in Valencia are often allocated to civic organizations through public concession programs, with strict conditions regarding their use and maintenance. The current dispute highlights ongoing tensions between local authorities and left-leaning groups, especially as political polarization has increased in recent years. The outcome of the legal proceedings and the city’s internal review may set important precedents for how such incidents are handled in the future.
