The incident occurred around four in the morning on Sunday in the Kukullaga neighborhood, when the Ertzaintza was called to assist the Local Police. The local force had arrested a young man for assaulting an authority agent at the festival grounds and was subsequently being attacked by a crowd.
Ertzaintza officers formed a police cordon as the crowd attempted to assault the local police officers present. The arrested individual's brother tried to prevent the transfer of the detainee by verbally abusing and hitting the police car.
One of the local officers was cornered by an aggressive group of people, necessitating the intervention of Ertzaintza patrols. The arrested man's brother then pushed and struck an Ertzaintza officer in the face.
Consequently, the young man, identified as a 19-year-old Spanish national, was arrested for assaulting an authority agent. Following this, approximately 100 people at the festival grounds began throwing glass bottles at the officers present. One Ertzaintza officer sustained a head injury from a bottle impact and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
“"We are not dealing with simple hooliganism, as throwing bottles at the Ertzaintza is a direct assault against those who ensure the safety of all citizens."
The Esan union condemned the assault, warning that such "intolerable behaviors put the physical integrity of officers at risk and create dangerous situations for everyone present." They have called for a "public, clear, and unequivocal condemnation" from all institutions.
