Police use Taser against woman outside health centre in Sabadell

BarcelonaThe Catalan Police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, used a taser to overpower a 26-year-old woman, Paula Parra, outside a health centre in Sabadell on Wednesday. This has become known after a video of the intervention surfaced recently, which shows how the agents make use of the Taser. Human Rights association Irídia has tweeted that the performance "is very worrying and disproportionate".

According to the Mossos d'Esquadra, the events took place at 1 pm, when they received a request from health centre workers for police presence because the woman, who had an appointment, wanted to go with her mother but the protocol for covid-19 prevented it. As the mother could not accompany her, she became nervous, the Mossos explained, adding that she caused damage to the centre and assaulted health staff.

Once alerted by the workers, police officers claim they acted to try to immobilise the woman. According to their account, two police officers were slightly injured by the blows they received from the woman. According to them, after several warnings they decided to use the Taser. The Emergency Medical System (SEM) then transferred the woman to a hospital.

The woman, in statements to Tv3, denies that she assaulted the medical staff and admits that she kicked one of the agents, but after he had used the Taser. "I am under 1.60m tall, you can easily overpower me, there's no need for this," said Paula, who reported that once she was immobilised on the floor the officers continued to apply electric shocks. The woman will report the officer who used the Taser.

The Mossos arrested her on charges of assault on a police officer and damages to the health centre, and she has spent the night in jail. There is no evidence that the police have opened any investigation into the action, which, in principle, as the protocol for the use of the taser states, would have had to be recorded by the camera on the chest of the officer who used it.