The open battle over a solution to the mussel crisis intensified this Thursday. A police charge against Santiago Bateiros brought a new claim before the Xunta de Galicia, followed by two arrests and numerous injuries.
The issue facing Bateeiros, the mussel fishers, has many facets and seems endless because the measures announced by the Xunta fail to satisfy everyone, and mobilization continues as efforts press to repeal article 13 of the December 2019 decree that tightly regulates shellfish use plans.
The protests began around eight in the morning, coinciding with Xunta celebrations as seen in past events.
The Government Sub-Delegation of A Coruna noted the density of the bateiros, gathering around 300 people, though no official count was provided. Around 9:10 a.m., some protesters attempted to reach the Xunta building by climbing the fence, triggering a police response. Authorities attributed the aggression to protesters who hurled stones and tree branches at officers and set containers on fire. The agency emphasized that police action targeted violent behavior.
The protesters described the intervention as disproportionate, noting the use of rubber bullets at head level and impacts to the head and arms.
The notice that two detainees were taken to the police station for questioning prompted a march through Compostela’s old town, culminating at a checkpoint where a large police presence awaited after fireworks lit the way.
Wounded
An injured man named Andrés, nicknamed “Peche,” from Rianxo in A Coruña, was evacuated to the Santiago University Hospital Complex for medical care. Reports indicate others among the protesters may also have been injured, though details vary.
The police filed a criminal complaint against the demonstrators in front of the Xunta for clashes related to the mussel dispute.
The struggle between mussel growers and those reliant on other forms of mussel farming spans decades and has produced numerous conflicts that have required security force intervention.
Numbers and attention around the issue intensified this week when the Xunta announced that the final opening of the mussel extraction zones would be canceled due to a technical processing error, heightening tensions and economic strain on the industry.
Rosa Quintana, the Maritime Minister, assured in Vigo last Wednesday that there is hope for reopening in future phases.
Although the protests began from longstanding concerns, the trigger was a 2019 decree in which the Xunta’s Sea Department sought balance by marking forbidden zones to protect the species’ survival while maintaining the viability of the mussel industry, a difficult compromise between conservation and livelihoods.
Tensions have risen in recent months due to stubborn positions, the sequestration of the mussel stock, and reduced salinity in local waters, which delayed the launch of campaigns and squeezed the industry financially.
Protest in front of the police station
After police intervention, some protesters gathered in front of the city hall to voice dissent. National Police facilities in Santiago echoed chants accusing authorities of welcoming demonstrators with batons while seeking the resignation of regional leaders.
The United Police Union (SUP) condemned the events and confirmed that several national police officers were injured, offering support for the demonstration and noting that two violent protesters were arrested. It suggested, however, that a private accusation may be involved in the case.
Terraces in the area were evacuated as a precaution upon orders from security forces.
José Ramón Gómez Besteiro, the Government delegate in Galicia, spoke to reporters in A Coruña after a brief briefing, expressing that the source of the problem lay with the Xunta and that a resolution could be found in time.