- This year only 6 claims have had to be modified and 108 were not admitted, regardless of time or public order issues. Those related to labor issues remain the majority (27%), followed by sanitary (16%) and, thirdly, political or legislative protests (12.9%)
- “The Government Delegation will publish weekly data on the main demonstrations through our website and as public service information on our social networks”, announced Mercedes González
- National Police Balance of the Action Plan against Violent Youth Gangs in 2022: 123,176 identified, 1,560 arrested, 748 weapons seized and 5,138 drug records
The Government’s delegate to the Community of Madrid, Mercedes González, presented today to the media the balance sheet of 2022 of some of the areas of the institution “that have the most social or media influence”, among them, the one related to the exercise of the right of assembly, which has grown by 1.32% compared to 2021, until reaching 3,758 demonstrations or concentrations held in 2022, while the previous year was 3,709. The Citizen Security Unit of the Government Delegation is responsible for managing all communications for the exercise of this fundamental right.
Of the 3,758 protest meetings held last year, 2,810 have been rallies, 551 demonstrations and 397 are considered groupings, that is, with fewer than 20 people (the limit established by law to oblige citizens to inform the Administration of their holding). In addition, among those held, another 79 calls are included (77 rallies and two demonstrations) that were not communicated to the Government Delegation. That is, they did not follow the procedures required by the regulations and were carried out without having been previously notified.
If we consider the last decade, 2022 has been the second year with more mobilizations: Almost 600 (596) below the first 2013, which continues first in the ranquin with 4,354. But the work carried out by the Citizen Security Unit is greater in this field, since during 2022 4,279 files related to the right of assembly were initiated, of which: 172 were not held for various reasons and 42 others were disbanded after the proceedings began.
Few modifications or inadmissions
This year, it has only been necessary to modify (either place, routes, schedules or days) a total of 6. The previous year that the double (12) was modified. And 108 were not admitted compared to 197 in 2021. For being out of time: 90, or for reasons of public order: 18 (to carriers who requested 17 days of demonstrations or one during the NATO Summit).
The months with the most concentrations and demonstrations were March (the month in which Women’s Day is commemorated), with 581; November (the month of 25N), with 439; and October, with 371; while August is the least with only 51. Regarding the issues, the labor claims remain the majority: 1,026 (more than 27%); they have been followed in 2022 by health-related protests, up to 600, (16% of the total) and, thirdly, by protests of a political or legislative nature with some 486 concentrations (12.9%).
The most numerous
In total, 2.2 million people have attended these 3,758 rallies and demonstrations. The largest was the Gay Pride, which was held on the first weekend of July and concentrated around 700,000 people. The next in attendance was the call against the closures of the SUAP (Primary Care Emergency Services), which toured in four columns the center of Madrid and brought together 200,000 people on November 13. And that of the rural and hunting world of the month of March, which was attended by 150,000 people.
“In addition, and as a novelty in this 2023, the Government Delegation wants to make an effort of transparency and will make public the data of the main concentrations and demonstrations authorized week by week, through our website and as public service information on our social networks,” announced Mercedes González.
Action Plan against violent youth gangs
During her speech, the government delegate explained that “at the end of 2021, it began to be detected, basically in the city of Madrid and in some municipalities of the region, that these gangs were beginning to be activated, since an increase in the aggressions committed by these groups with white weapons, basically machetes”.
Thus, at the end of November, an Operational Plan was designed with the aim of reducing the phenomenon of organized gangs, which came into operation on December 2 of that same year, in the districts of: Arganzuela, Carabanchel, Centro, Ciudad Lineal, Latina, Puente de Vallecas, San Blas-Canillejas, Usera and Villaverde, as well as in the municipalities of Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón de Ardoz. Within this framework, 351 actions were carried out that resulted in: 1,335 identified, 118 detainees, 56 weapons searches and 30 drug possession records.
More than 500 National Police officers
After a series of events produced by these gangs on the first weekend of February —which resulted in the death of two people in the Centro district and in Usera and a serious aggression in Parla—, this operation was redesigned in a Plan (which in principle was of Shock) against the violent Juvenile Gangs, formed by a device of more than 500 National Police agents, which were deployed by 11 of the 21 districts of the capital (Carabanchel, Latina, Puente de Vallecas, Usera, Villaverde, Fuencarral, Centro, Arganzuela City, San City).
“Madrid had never made such a device. In less than a week it had an incredible capacity for reaction and action,” said Mercedes González. In addition, in conjunction with the implementation of this device, the Government Delegation convened together with the City of Madrid the Local Security Board (February 18), met with the Councilor for Justice and Interior of the Community of Madrid, to inform him of the situation and the crash plan, and went to the Local Security Board of Parla, which was held on March 2.
This plan is currently in force in 4 municipalities (Alcobendas, Alcorcón, Coslada and Parla) and in 12 districts of the capital (Arganzuela, Carabanchel, Centro, Ciudad Lineal, Fuencarral-El Pardo, Latina, Puente de Vallecas, San Blas-Canillejas, Tetuán, Usera, Villaverde and Vicálvaro).
National Police Balance (February 10, 2022 - January 1, 2023)
· 32,713 performances (100 daily).
· 123,176 identified (379 daily): 97,469 adults and 25,707 minors.
· 1,560 detainees (5 each day): 1,207 adults and 353 minors.
· 748 weapons seized: 2 weapons per day (including 1 firearm, 462 knives and knives, 80 machetes, 14 detonators/airsoft, 96 bats, American fists).
· 5,138 drug records: 16 daily minutes.