Catalan Interior Minister Núria Parlon apologised on Wednesday for the "human error" of infiltrating two Mossos d'Esquadra agents into a teachers' union assembly in Barcelona. She addressed the incident during an urgent Interior Commission meeting in the Catalan Parliament, acknowledging the operation was "poorly planned."

Ms Parlon stated the infiltration was an "operational manoeuvre" and not a "political decision" aimed at curbing educational union protests. She defended such data collection as "habitual" but promised to strengthen intervention frameworks. The Minister also committed to limiting when these police practices should occur.

Josep Lluís Trapero, Director General of the Mossos d'Esquadra, announced a "rigorous" investigation into the incident. He confirmed a reserved information procedure started on Tuesday to analyse the operation. Mr Trapero added that new "filters" would ensure higher command levels approve such actions.

Police Justification and Controls

Mr Trapero explained that the Mossos d'Esquadra's General Information Commissariat conducts data collection during labour and social conflicts. Current legislation supports this practice. This includes the 2023 and 2011 structure decrees. He clarified these actions aim to assess "risk and threats" during protests. The goal is to "guarantee the right to protest" for citizens.

Despite this, Mr Trapero admitted the teachers' prior demonstrations "did not justify" the specific operation. He pledged to improve "mediation efforts for obtaining information" by modifying the current decree. He also noted police practices have remained consistent across the last three Catalan governments. He stressed the police did not seek to "criminalise, investigate or spy" on teachers. Mr Trapero concluded by expressing "maximum recognition for the teaching community."

Political Outcry and Union Demands

The explanations from Ms Parlon and Mr Trapero, who acknowledged the "error" and the government's unawareness, failed to satisfy most parliamentary groups. Josep Rius, a Member of Parliament for Junts, condemned the operation as "illegal." He asserted it violated fundamental rights. Laia Cañigueral, an ERC Member of Parliament, called for "more extensive" accountability. She criticised Ms Parlon's justification, stating it "did not work." Ms Cañigueral added, "This is not a minor incident, nor is it a technical matter."

Andrés García, a Comuns Member of Parliament, expressed hope Ms Parlon's apologies would lead to "a real 180-degree change in police strategy." Xavier Pellicer, representing the CUP, described the explanations as "ridiculous." However, the Popular Party (PP) and Vox groups did not demand Mr Trapero's dismissal. Alberto Vilagras, a PP Member of Parliament, justified the police action. He called it "normal" for police to gather information at assemblies and protests. "They must ensure people can move freely," he stated. Sergio Macián, a Vox Member of Parliament, accused the Salvador Illa government of "instrumentalising" the Mossos d'Esquadra. He called for more police presence in areas like La Mina in Sant Adrià del Besòs, rather than at teachers' assemblies.

The infiltration, first revealed by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union after the assembly, caused significant anger within the educational community. This incident follows existing criticism of the government's plan to introduce Mossos into schools. The pilot programme for this initiative has already reduced from 14 schools to seven.

The USTEC and CGT unions, currently on strike to demand renewed negotiations with the Education Department, criticised the lack of "assumption of responsibility." They called for Ms Parlon's resignation and Mr Trapero's dismissal. Iolanda Segura, spokesperson for USTEC, the majority union, demanded public disclosure of "who ordered the infiltration." She questioned, "Is the police acting independently?" Ms Segura announced USTEC would file a lawsuit next week. This lawsuit, citing a violation of fundamental rights, will go to the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC). Laura Gené, Secretary General of CGT Ensenyament, confirmed her union would also file a lawsuit. She requested greater transparency from the Interior Department.

Moving Forward

Following the parliamentary session, Ms Parlon briefly spoke with Ms Segura outside the chamber. Ms Parlon stated she had offered to meet with USTEC and CGT. She plans to do so once all information about the case is collected. The Minister aims to "prevent unpleasant situations like this [infiltration] from happening again."

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Originally published by 20 Minutos Barcelona. Read original article.