Madrid's Provincial Court has sentenced Santos G. R., father of an opposition councilor in Navalagamella, for assaulting a municipal official during a December 2023 meeting. The incident stemmed from an accidental collision that escalated into insults and blows. The ruling imposes a fine and compensation for the injuries inflicted.
What started as a routine Christmas town meeting in Navalagamella's City Hall, a municipality of 3,100 residents in the Community of Madrid, ended in violence on December 21, 2023. Santos G. R., father of a councilor from the opposition party La Alternativa de Navalagamella, burst into the municipal building to mediate a dispute between his daughter and an official. However, the mediation attempt turned into an assault: the accused lunged at the worker, shouting 'hija de puta, te voy a matar' while punching and kicking her in the face, legs, and body.
The victim sustained injuries of varying severity to her face, thigh, and forearm, along with anxiety and post-traumatic cervicalgia. These required more than 40 days of recovery, involving moderate and basic impairments. The conflict originated from an accidental collision in the town hall corridors between the councilor and the official, which quickly escalated.
Nearly two years later, Madrid's Provincial Court has upheld the first-instance ruling. Santos G. R. must pay a 150-euro fine and compensate the victim with 3,200 euros. The decision rejects the defense's appeal and deems the facts proven.
Navalagamella's mayor, Andrés Sampeiro, condemned the incident: 'In a rule-of-law state, violence has no place in institutions, and even less so against a public employee fulfilling their duties.' This case highlights tensions in municipal settings and the protection of public workers.