Tension in Spain with protests against Pedro Sanchez.

In the massive demonstration, held in Madrid, a small group of protesters attempted to break through the railings around his residence.

The demonstration was organised by the People’s Party, PP and the far-right Vox, claiming that Pedro Sanchez’s government is “corrupt”.

Spanish police detained a group of people with their faces covered on the main road leading to Madrid’s Moncloa Palace, where Pedro Sanchez lives with his family, according to footage broadcast on Spanish television.

Tens of thousands of protesters held banners with slogans such as “Resign the Socialist Mafia” along with Spanish flags at the March for Dignity, organized by the Spanish Civil Society Association.

Tension arose when a group of protesters attempted to break through the railings and storm the home of the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez.

The political backdrop

According to the Spanish newspaper, El Pais, the demonstration comes after a series of days in which the confrontation between the PP and Vox centred on the pressure the far-right put on Alberto Nunez Feijo, whom they demanded submit a motion of impeachment. The Popular Party is resisting.

At the start of the march, Abascal announced that his party has asked the courts for Zapatero to be taken into custody, as they are now part of the private prosecution in the case, and for several ministers to be called as witnesses.

“There are already too many innocence cases. Nobody believes that Sanchez is not behind this,” pointed out the Vox leader, who tried to divert attention from the impeachment issue to avoid “clouding this demonstration”.

However, he left a hidden message to the People’s Party. “Everyone is doing what they can with the means at their disposal,” said Abascal, who does not have the minimum number required for his parliamentary group to table its own impeachment motion, as the People’s Party does. “It is up to me to go to the courts,” he said.