Here’s a true story.

Well it all started of about 6 weeks ago.

I was parked outside Consum Supermarket picking up some shopping, I gathered my shopping and started to put it into the car.

I got into my car and found there was a huge trafic jam along the road I was parked on.
I stuck on my indicator and politetly started to slowly pull into a very large gap in the traffic.

I got a off duty “police” officer accelerate to within 1 cm of my car making it extremely difficult to continue. Seeing as I was half way into the gap I persisted to get in.

I got in, and the “police man” didn’t like it. He got out his car and started hurling racial abuse at me while at the same time trying to persuade me to hit him.
I calmly drove off with him following me and continuing shouting racist abuse at me.

I eventually lost him…... Or so I thought.

6 weeks later i’m celebrating my Mothers and Fathers Wedding Anniversary in Benidorm with them.
We had a good night out and came 2 am we decided to soberly drive home as I was the designated driver.

We got 100 metres up the road where we passed the “police man” who we met at Consum 6 weeks earlier. (no guessing what happened next)
We came to the conclusion he had seen the car and had been waiting for us to execute his plan.

He pulled us over (suprise, suprise) 4 Police cars arrived within 30 seconds of the first one arriving.
My family and I were dragged out the car and brutally beaten up.
We were smashed over the head with metal truncheons.
After taking this abuse we finally start to defend ourselfves by attempting to block the truncheons from hitting our heads.

My father and I got up in a very dizzy state and got handcuffed and taken to the ” Police station” while the rest of our family where thrown out onto the street.

We got the “Police Station” where our handcuffs were eventually taken off.
We weren’t suprised to see that the colour of our hands was blue (due to how tight the handcuffs were)
Seconds after this, we recieved another beating in the cell where we just basically sat back and let them do it.

We were eventually allowed to get some sleep (it wasn’t hard to sleep seeing as we had a bad concusion).

We woke up the next morning with the sound of slamming cells and the noise of the “police officers” handing out “breakfast”.

Now “breakfast” consisted of 3 biscuits and a Zumo drink wrapped in Hitlers own Christmas wrapping paper.

A few hours went by where we were then taken to the Generalitat De Valencia building in Benidorm, where we where placed in steel cells.

These cells are very accomodating, where the paint consists mainly of blood and shit and a decade of people’s spit plus other bodily fluids.
The filthy cold concrete floors provide everything you need to spend the next 30 hours rotting.

Eventually we got out to speak with a solicitor who told us that basically the best way to get out of this is to plead guilty (to crimes we never commited) and pay a fine (some of which goes to the “injured” “Police Officers” we supposedly beat up.
If we didn’t plead guilty we would sit in the cell/cesspit for all eternity fighting our case.

A few long miserable hours later we finally got to see the Judge were we placed our truthfully spoken statments infront of him.

They compared statements with that of the Police.
The funny part is where we allegedly beat up the “Police men” , gave them death threats, ran from them when they pulled us over etc etc etc.

So the judge grants our release providing we pay a ? 2000 fine,
we basically had no choice, if we didn’t pay the fine we would be condemmed to sit in the cell for all eternity waiting justice which in all certainty would not be served.

So after this traumatic event I am sitting in my office chair writting this while starring into the computer monitor that appears to still be spinning as if I’m drunk. (disiness from the all head beating).

If it wasn’t for my mother we would have never got to see a solicitor as we were denied all our rights, including a phone call.

It makes me wonder how many poor souls are sat in these jails rotting away for nothing.

Now I’m absolutely sick of all this, I’m a law abiding citizen who is constantly pulled over for nothing.

I have my businesses up for sale, my house up for sale and where I was going to re invest this money in Spain I am now not going to re invest but I am going to leave and never come back.

I’d love to see all the foreigners that made this country what it is go home and leave these racist dickheads to it.

I have lived here well over 20 years and I speak fluent Spanish.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of really nice Spanish out there some of which i’m good friends with but the vast majority of them DO NOT want us here and hate the English.

Over the past 5 years this has become obvious.
Anyone who can’t see this isn’t fully intergrating into the Spanish society.

I’m sorry if this sounds as if I’m racist, But i’m not.

To add to the record they also beat up my little sister who is in fact considered to be a minor.

We also shared cells with many other English men who had basically the same story to tell and are also considering leaving this country.
One man I shared a cell in owns a pub in Benidorm. They walked into his pub took him around the back and beat him up along with his daughter.

Anyway…..

Viva Espana :x

Please come to Spain and bring the family.

Police = Mafia, Gangsters, and the biggest criminals.

Corruption at its best.

Wow. That’s an intense story and sorry to hear about everything that happened to you and your family. This isn’t the first I’ve heard of instances like this, but they mostly been limited to the costas. Otherwise, there’s some serious corruption with the Mossos d’Esquadra in Catalunya too; some nasty stuff happens when large crowds gather, believe you me.

Have you talked to your lawyer about suing? If you have the money then why not?

I would love to see a positive outcome to this situation and the perpetrators of this abuse seen to in the manner it should be. The problem is though they destroyed all evidence of what happened and concocted a story between themselves to stitch us up and I can’t see a way around it.

My son and I were put in a position of admitting to false charges or facing an undisclosed amount of time waiting in excrement cover cells until a trial was started for this situation. If we had taken it to trial the solicitor told us we would have still had the same charges against us and not evidence to the contrary because the police saw to it that it would be this way, a common situation I am informed!

Then we would have had a criminal record be convicted anyway and be marked for life. This surely is not how the law should work! Sadly it is, if you want freedom. The price of freedom is to admit the charges, and your solicitor will negotiate a lenient conviction which involves a fine and your release without a criminal record. A no win situation in my opinion. Naturally who want to spend weeks in an excrement filled cell awaiting a kangaroo court?

What has come to light since my initial post (after the family were reunited after the event when we were released and got around to discussing this) is that my daughter filmed 80% of this but had the camera taken off here and smashed against a wall and the film taken. Also the only other evidence we could have had was the black man they arrested whom was in the police car when they stopped us. He saw it all but they released him in order to stitch us up.

My daughter overheard the whole concoted story after we had been driven off to the police station, they didn’t realise she spoke fluent Spanish.

Have you talked to the media yet?

This sounds worse than the gestapo police tactics used in the USA. Is this an isolated case, or are most spanish police like this?

The Expatriator - 02 May 2007 11:28 PM

Have you talked to the media yet?

Not had chance yet but it is on the agenda for this week.

To date I have reported this to the British Consul and Amnesty International, so far I’ve had no response from them.

dennis - 03 May 2007 05:31 AM

This sounds worse than the gestapo police tactics used in the USA. Is this an isolated case, or are most spanish police like this?

I have been talking to all the people I know in the businesses that surround my business where I work in Benidorm, to date out of 10 people told 8 of them have had a similar incident, including one Spaniard whom was kicked senseless for accidentally hitting his car door onto the police car. I don’t know whether this is unique to Benidorm because of its large tourist influx that has a tendancy to get out of hand at times or not. That doesn’t mean they should treat people this way though.I can see why turism is down 30% so far this year!

It seems to be the National Police (Gestapo) that are the problem.

You say they were hurling racial insults at you. What did they say? Are you of African descent? Try to understand they type of racism that exists there now.

And what part of Spain was this? I hear the that they are brutal, as well as the penal system. I have distant relatives there, and those closest to me in relation have managed to stay out of their way. Except for one of my parents who was arrested in the 70’s for beating the crap out of a Spanish man who assaulted them, but the judge was nice (a woman) and dropped the charges and let them go. This was in Aargon in ‘73.

I hear they are worst in Madrid, and that you have the ETA to further deal with in the northern regions.

The police seem to still have elements of the old Francophone system in place.

Since you are English, it’s seem the national government of England would shed light on the matter. I mean, this concern it’s own citizens. If they criticized the US for being in Iraq, they can say something about this.

White, middle aged, middle class and English.

As an update to this story but in a different context I am sick to death of driving to and from work a round trip of 60 kms of which half is on country roads (dirt track would be more appropriate) only to encounter upwards of 12 police officers on the way, they are everywhere! This country is now using the police as a source of income not as they are supposed to be used for law enforcement. What ever happened to “Serve and Protect”? More like “persecute and rip off”!

This morning, and for the past 3 trips, I have passed around the roundabout at Villajoyosa, where it joins the new bypass (near the motorway exit) and the Guardia Civil traffic police are basically camping out there and stopping everyone for no reason every morning. I don’t need this type of crap in my life and don’t want to live in a police state.

I’ve lived in Spain 20 years and now I’ve had enough, this isn’t the Spain it used to be and I no longer feel welcome here or that I wish to be here either. Spain’s loss as my house is up for sale and both my businesses are up for sale and several people will be unemployed in the end! I’m not living in Spain to spend all I earn in unwarranted fines and spend half my life being stopped each time I drive down the road.

If you are in any doubt I drive a Spanish registered car all perfectly legal paperwork and perfectly maintained. Never been done for drink driving (as I don’t do it) or for speeding. They are just stopping people finding or creating a problem just for payment.

My initial reaction: I don’t believe one word of it!! But reading the other posts I can only say that I must be very naive, or lucky. Anyway my advice: get maximum publicity. I know from experience that UK papers are very keen on this sort of topics. I was nearly mugged on the motorway north of Valencia in Febr. by some East Europeans, who slashed my tyres in the parking area of a motorway restaurant. We sent details with a video clip to various papers as well as to EU HQ in Brussels (doubt, however, whether that arrived at the right desk). This sort of experiences will hopefully keep tourists and aspiring Spain movers away. It is simply true Africa begins just across the Pyrenees.

cbram - 12 June 2007 10:58 AM

This country is now using the police as a source of income not as they are supposed to be used for law enforcement. What ever happened to “Serve and Protect”? More like “persecute and rip off”!

It’s really no different here where I live in the US. As of late, law enforcement have been issuing citations for ridiculous stuff, pretty much on an ‘I felt like it; and the state,city,county needs the money’ basis.

But I do wonder if they are targeting you because you are a British national, influenced by the global political atmosphere.

mirlo4 - 12 June 2007 05:43 PM

My initial reaction: I don’t believe one word of it!! But reading the other posts I can only say that I must be very naive, or lucky. Anyway my advice: get maximum publicity. I know from experience that UK papers are very keen on this sort of topics. I was nearly mugged on the motorway north of Valencia in Febr. by some East Europeans, who slashed my tyres in the parking area of a motorway restaurant. We sent details with a video clip to various papers as well as to EU HQ in Brussels (doubt, however, whether that arrived at the right desk). This sort of experiences will hopefully keep tourists and aspiring Spain movers away. It is simply true Africa begins just across the Pyrenees.

I’ve contacted the Uk newspapers but not one of them replied to my queries so I won’t be purchasing any of them in the future, i don’t mind being told they aren’t interested but given some of the crap they put in the papers these days I’d have thought this worthy of mentioning! I also contacted Amnesty International only to find out that Spain is under severe investigation of the treatment of victims of the police state! They have the article on their website, can’t remember the link though. Amnesty International asked me to send them all the documentation on the case, none of which you are automatically given when in court, you have to apply for it and then wait forever.

I’s say you are lucky to date probably not naive. As i’ve said before I’ve lived here 20 years and for the most of it experienced no problems on the roads, in fact in the previous decade and before it was more common to see the police drunker than the motorists!

Latest today is the Guardia are camped out on the same place on the way to work, we narrowly avoided being stopped because a Spaniard was stupid enough to overtake a slow moving excavator on the solid white line approaching the roundabout, well what can you say he was just asking to be stopped doing that right in front of the jack booted gestapo!

sulano - 12 June 2007 05:57 PM

cbram - 12 June 2007 10:58 AM

This country is now using the police as a source of income not as they are supposed to be used for law enforcement. What ever happened to “Serve and Protect”? More like “persecute and rip off”!

It’s really no different here where I live in the US. As of late, law enforcement have been issuing citations for ridiculous stuff, pretty much on an ‘I felt like it; and the state,city,county needs the money’ basis.

But I do wonder if they are targeting you because you are a British national, influenced by the global political atmosphere.

Yes I think, among other things, that being British contributed to the initial beating I wrote about. I know for a fact a large percentage of the Spanish are very racist towards the British and Americans, not something that is immediately obvious to someone who has only lived here for a few years as most new residents have a honeymoon period for several years where they love Spain and “It’s so much better than the UK” (which it is). The thing is when you learn the language and you get around a lot then you begin to see and hear the racism. It’s not all the Spanish and I know loads of them whom are extremely nice people.

I didn’t live in Spain during the Britain/Argentian war over the Falklands Islands but I was in Spain for a couple of months at the time and then there was a lot of anti British feeling here, to the point of them spitting at you. Not a good time to eat out if you know what I mean.

As far as the driving is concerned I drive a Spanish registered car so can only assume this is the same for others.

I noticed this trend of a large influx of traffic police as soon as the EU stopped the main funding to Spain as they have had handout after handout for the past 20 years since Spain entered the EU. Now other revenues have to be found and who better than the long suffering motorist. If anyone has largely escaped their attention in the last 2 years then you’ve had good luck or you spend little time on the road, commuting from one large town to another is guaranteed to get you eventually. The police seem to have a blitz on certain areas, currently it’s our area.

It’s interesting when you speak of racism (nationalism) as a white British male because I know many people of color in Spain and it seems that the indigenous Spanish population is quite separatist. On one hand you do have the people that tell you the there is no racism in Spain. But, then, you have the Gypsy people who are still an oppress minority; African immigrant that arrived between the 60’s and 80’s who mostly don’t feel to have a fair chance; recent minority immigrants from Africa and Latin America who experience varying degrees of discrimination and abuse; and now they’re mistreating Americans and British people too?

I’ve read many stories like the one about a visiting African-American music student that was studying in the orchestra in Madrid. He was falsely accused of a crime, chased down the street by the police and beaten to death.

And then on top of this type of incident you have the ETA who are more separatist than the general population? I don’t see why they just don’t let those people have their own state, already, so they can leave everyone else alone. What I hope doesn’t happen is that ETA elements gain leadership positions in the general Spanish government. If that happens, everyone who doesn’t fit the ‘profile’ better get the hell out of dodge.

cbram - 13 June 2007 10:59 AM

mirlo4 - 12 June 2007 05:43 PM

My initial reaction: I don’t believe one word of it!! But reading the other posts I can only say that I must be very naive, or lucky. Anyway my advice: get maximum publicity. I know from experience that UK papers are very keen on this sort of topics. I was nearly mugged on the motorway north of Valencia in Febr. by some East Europeans, who slashed my tyres in the parking area of a motorway restaurant. We sent details with a video clip to various papers as well as to EU HQ in Brussels (doubt, however, whether that arrived at the right desk). This sort of experiences will hopefully keep tourists and aspiring Spain movers away. It is simply true Africa begins just across the Pyrenees.

I’ve contacted the Uk newspapers but not one of them replied to my queries so I won’t be purchasing any of them in the future, i don’t mind being told they aren’t interested but given some of the crap they put in the papers these days I’d have thought this worthy of mentioning! I also contacted Amnesty International only to find out that Spain is under severe investigation of the treatment of victims of the police state! They have the article on their website, can’t remember the link though. Amnesty International asked me to send them all the documentation on the case, none of which you are automatically given when in court, you have to apply for it and then wait forever.

I’s say you are lucky to date probably not naive. As i’ve said before I’ve lived here 20 years and for the most of it experienced no problems on the roads, in fact in the previous decade and before it was more common to see the police drunker than the motorists!

Latest today is the Guardia are camped out on the same place on the way to work, we narrowly avoided being stopped because a Spaniard was stupid enough to overtake a slow moving excavator on the solid white line approaching the roundabout, well what can you say he was just asking to be stopped doing that right in front of the jack booted gestapo!

have you tried contacting CNN or any of the other US based major News stations. After all, it’s not just the British who are going through this, according to the US Government Travel Dept.  I think you can write/email some of those news anchors directly if you go to their websites. I believe that ABC News has a partnership with the BBC.

Hi

We are planning to come to Spain in the next 2 or 3 months but I have reservations. When I read this story I was horrified and I now have severe reservations. Is this a relatively isolated incident or are there more. I would like to hear from anyone with similar issues. I have just returned from our latest trip to Murcia and I did get the impression that we are merely tolerated by the Spanish and there is a lot of resentment aimed at Brits. Is this true?

After all the bad press we are not investing yet but renting for a while but I am now wondering wether to rethink the entire move.

I would like to see this story in the media as I think its extremely newsworthy. Cant think why our press think otherwise.