rubber bullets

Human Rights Commissioner criticizes use of foam and rubber bullets, raising concerns over "numerous attacks against journalists"

4 people have been blinded in one eye and 14 have been hospitalized as a result of turmoil following sentencing of pro-independence leaders

Roger Español aims to be the last wounded by a rubber bullet and calls for Spain to prohibit them

Albert Batlle, in charge of Catalonia's prison network during the former left-wing Cabinet (2003-2010), has been appointed the new Director General of the Catalan Police Force, called Mossos d'Esquadra. The Catalan Government, run by the Centre-Right pro-Catalan State Coalition (CiU), appointed Batlle on Tuesday, emphasising he is "an independent person", "with experience". Batlle is a former member of the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), which is part of opposition in the Catalan Parliament. He will have the challenge to direct the Mossos d'Esquadra after years of controversy linked to the police's use of force. The Catalan Minister for Home Affairs, Ramon Espadaler, asked him "to guide police action" and "to introduce a degree of common sense and calm". Batlle earned prestige as a manager of complex issues and he was one of the key people in the organisation of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Manel Prat, General Director of the Mossos d’Esquadra – the Catalan police force – resigned on Tuesday evening “for personal reasons”. He took this step the day before the Catalan Green Socialist and post-Communist Coalition (ICV-EUiA) were due to file a request to the Catalan Parliament to hold a debate on his resignation. Prat took office in January 2011 and the Catalan Police has since been involved in a series of controversies related to the excessive use of force, which in some cases may have had grievous consequences, including demonstrators losing eyes from a rubber bullet and the death of individuals in police custody. Legal investigations are still ongoing and therefore formal sentences have not been issued in these cases, but there is much evidence to indicate that the Catalan Police’s actions are likely to have been out of order. On top of this, there have been many shadows cast on the Mossos’ internal investigations and disciplinary processes. However, Prat denied he was resigning because of these episodes.

The use of rubber bullets by the Catalan Police is at the centre of a fierce social and political debate. The Catalan Parliament has recently decided to create a commission in order to discuss the methods used by riot police, which is expected to take place at the beginning of April. This kind of ammunition in Catalonia has allegedly caused the loss of an eye and sight loss to 8 people over the last three years and heart necrosis to a man. All sides in this conflict will be consulted in the parliamentary debate and a quick process is expected in order to respond to increasing public concern regarding this method.