The Ombudsman expresses deep concern regarding the footage made public during the Police intervention in the protest in front of Parliament. The footage of the escorting of protesters raises serious doubts about the disproportionate use of force and violation of human dignity.

The Ombudsman appeared today at the police station to verify on-site the conditions of detention, the treatment of the escorted persons and the respect for their procedural rights. Immediate access was allowed to our monitoring group, but not to the lawyers of the detainees.

The institution has launched an administrative investigation on its own initiative (ex-officio). From the preliminary examination of the footage, we find footage that shows physical blows to the protesters during the escorting. These footage raise serious doubts about degrading treatment and disproportionate use of force.

The principle of proportionality allows force only to neutralize a real danger and requires that the force be terminated at the moment the resistance ceases. The reaction to symbolic acts does not in any case justify physical violence against the human body.

The Ombudsman has requested written explanations from the State Police and the Police Supervision Agency within 48 hours, including the operational order of the intervention, the body camera recordings and the legal basis for the use of force.

At the end of the investigation, the Ombudsman will recommend concrete administrative measures in each case where violations are identified. We will follow every step of this process with maximum attention, so that the right to protest is guaranteed.