In a viral video, a Madrid police officer had one of the men in a chokehold while the second officer beat him with a baton before grabbing and punching the other man standing nearby. According to The Guardian, the two men allegedly were arrested for “undermining authority”. It was reported locally that these 2 men were actively involved in local charity groups and were handing out food to young men in the neighborhood.
Over 100 protestors showed up in the plaza of Lavapies, demanding an investigation and accountability for the racism that occurred.
On Monday, with the help of leftwing politicians and anti-racist groups, the Ministry of the Interior, a national office created in 2022 to protect human rights in Madrid, began their investigations.
Serigne Mbaye, known for his anti-racism speeches at the plaza, told the local news that he was thankful a neighbor was able to finally catch it on camera and called on the government to do more to tackle racism and force transparency on the police.
