Madrid Government Delegate faces calls for resignation after police incidents

Police unions JUPOL and CEP are demanding the resignation of the Government Delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, following a series of incidents involving National Police officers.

During an intervention at an encampment in Puerta del Sol, a member of the Prevention and Reaction Unit (UPR) was reportedly brutally assaulted, including being struck while on the ground. JUPOL has accused the Government Delegate of failing to provide necessary operational instructions or sufficient resources, claiming officers were forced to work ‘totally blind’ in a high-risk scenario.

Separately, tensions have risen following police charges during an education protest at the Complutense University, which resulted in several detainees and minor injuries to officers. Francisco Martín called for an urgent investigation into the potential disproportionate use of force. In response, unions have criticized Martín for questioning the professionalism of the agents before investigations are complete, arguing his public statements place officers in a politically vulnerable position.