Police Assault on a Journalist During a Pro-Palestine Protest

While Joan Galvez was covering a pro-Palestinian strike in Barcelona, in front of the Israeli consulate, a police officer fired a foam bullet at him. The impact of the shot caused the journalist to fall to the ground, and he was injured in the arm. According to his account in El Salto, the shot was fired from close range while he had his back turned and was clearly identifiable as a photojournalist at the time of the attack. The director of the Catalan police defended his officer, claiming that the incident occurred during a riot and that Joan Galvez refused medical assistance. The journalist claims these statements are defamatory. Joan Galvez denounces this as an attempt to delegitimize journalistic work and an attack on press freedom, and points to the systemic violence that endangers his profession. He has filed a complaint. The Council of Europe has taken up the case, and an investigation is underway, led by the Barcelona Court.