National Police officers in Vitoria have arrested six men for allegedly attempting to assault a young man wearing a Spanish national football team shirt. Investigation sources informed news agency Europa Press that the suspects face hate crime charges.
According to the same sources, the incident occurred days before the start of the football World Cup. A group of people harassed and chased the young man while he was wearing the Spanish jersey, forcing him to seek shelter inside a National Police station.
Investigations conducted by officers over the past month led to the arrests. Police officers detained one suspect on Monday and five others on Tuesday.
Response from Aske Antolakundea
Aske Antolakundea, an organization separate from the official abertzale left, stated in a release that the events occurred on June 13 during a rally supporting official status for the Basque national team. The demonstration took place two days before Spain played against Cape Verde, and the group claimed the young man was the provocateur.
The organization stated that one detainee was released while remaining charged with hate crimes and threats. The other five suspects remained in police custody.
In a statement on social media platform X, Aske said Spanish police arrested six people in Vitoria for confronting Spanish provocateurs at a World Cup rally supporting official recognition. The group added that they fight against assimilation, demanded freedom for the detainees and an end to repressive forces, and called on supporters to stay alert for potential mobilizations.
Aske Antolakundea was founded in San Sebastian in May 2022 as part of the Jardun abertzale and pro-independence coalition. Its primary objective is to denounce police and judicial repression, support prisoners, and demand total amnesty.
Other altercations involving individuals wearing Spanish national team jerseys occurred in Vitoria during the World Cup tournament.
Basque Government Jurisdictional Complaint
The Vitoria arrests follow previous police actions concerning harassment and attacks against Spain supporters. National Police officers arrested two suspects last month in connection with incidents in Bilbao on July 19 during the World Cup final.
Those arrests prompted Basque Government Security Councilor Bingen Zupiria to lodge a formal complaint with Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska regarding the National Police operation against alleged perpetrators of incidents targeting Spain fans.
Zupiria insisted that the arrests represented an unacceptable jurisdictional intrusion. He stated that the Ertzaintza holds status as the comprehensive police force in the autonomous community under the 1979 Statute of Gernika, 1986 service distribution agreements, and subsequent legislation on security forces.
