1,000+ arrested for flouting Spain’s State of Alarm rules in first few days of lockdown

Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has confirmed that 926 people have been arrested and another 102,000 have been reported for flouting the State of Alarm rules during the first 10 days of the country’s lockdown.

Yesterday (Tuesday), an additional 130 people were arrested, and 20,000 more were reported for disobeying lockdown rules. In a press conference today, Marlaska reiterated the need for the public to respect the restrictions, pointing out that one of the arrested is already serving a four-month prison sentence, ordered by a Santa Cruz de Tenerife judge.

He also referred to the sad loss of 47-year-old Guardia Civil officer, Jose Ántonio, stationed in Madrid’s Aranjuez. He is the third officer to have died in a week as a result of this disease, (as reported). When questioned whether law enforcement officers were adequately protected, Marlaska assured that all the armed and security forces have enough protective equipment to carry out their duties safely.