From the platform Defender a quien Defiende we present the annual report on the state of the right to protest in Spain, which reveals an alarming increase in repression. In 2024, 1,140 rights violations were recorded in 228 documented cases, a figure equivalent to the sum of the violations recorded in 2022 and 2023 combined.
The report shows that protests in solidarity with Palestine have been the most repressed in 2024, with: 34 arrests, 133 identifications, 16 cases of judicial repression and more than 58% of cases of censorship in Spain. This trend was already detected in 2023, when, in just three months, the solidarity movement with Palestine became the fourth most persecuted. This trend is not exclusive to Spain, but is a global trend.
One of the most serious cases documented in the report occurred on October 6, 2024 in Santiago de Compostela, where a large demonstration in support of Palestine ended with 9 people arrested, who are now facing legal proceedings for alleged crimes against public order and injuries to officers.
The report also highlights the repression against the movement for the right to housing, which continues to be the second most criminalised, and the rise of the fight against tourism, which has gained new prominence in 2024.
In addition, the consolidation of previously documented repressive methods is confirmed, such as state espionage through police infiltration and the use of Pegasus spyware. Despite the fact that three years have passed since the presentation of the first case, the State still does not assume responsibilities or offer answers.