The City Council of Madrid sends a report to the Government Delegation with images of a knife among bread and hummus, cobblestones, and graffiti on the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree. The Deputy Mayor Inmaculada Sanz signs the document, describing these items as "a clear threat to public safety."
The City Council of Madrid has sent a municipal report to the Government Delegation with photographs of objects seized or present at the camp in Puerta del Sol. Among the attached images is one of a kitchen knife placed between several pieces of sliced bread and next to a container that appears to hold hummus. The document, signed by Deputy Mayor Inmaculada Sanz, describes these items as "a clear threat to public safety," according to elDiario.es.
The text mentions "sharp articles, knives, cobblestones, and other objects that can be used as weapons to cause injury to the people who remain there and pass by, or to the members of the Security Forces." The images also show construction cobblestones that the campers use to weigh down the tents on the ground.
The possible use of any of these elements in confrontations or disputes poses a clear threat to public safety, which falls under the jurisdiction of that Government Delegation and the Security Forces that depend on it.
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, had spoken hours earlier about "knives that are not necessary for cutting a sandwich." However, the only graphic evidence sent by the City Council shows a kitchen knife next to bread and hummus. The mayor also stated that "violent altercations have already occurred" that "we have all seen," a phrase that the report includes without detailing specific incidents.
The sending of this report is part of the City Council's strategy to force an eviction of Puerta del Sol by the Government Delegation. The delegate Francisco Martín has indicated that he would only intervene if threats to safety occurred.
The report also denounces "vandalism" on the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, which was decorated with a vest from the Tenants' Union and a Palestinian scarf. Stickers and graffiti with slogans such as "Ayuso beware" or "Eat the rich" were placed on its base. On Thursday morning, the monument was fenced off to prevent further interventions.
The municipal document states that "serious acts of vandalism against various historical and heritage assets present there have been confirmed, as well as graffiti on them, even in a threatening tone towards political leaders of this region," in addition to the "uncivic use of urban furniture and infrastructure in the area."
The ball is now in the court of the Government Delegation, which must decide whether to order the eviction of the camp based on the evidence sent by the City Council.
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