Linares Police Officers Face Charges After Brutal Beating Video Goes Viral
The two police officers who were filmed brutality beating a man and his daughter in Linares have been charged with assault and suspended from the municipal force.
The footage that was recorded by a passer-by of the beating outside a bar in the town of Linares, situated in the Andalucian province of Jaen led to riots across the town.
Both father and daughter, whose names have not been disclosed, were taken to hospital following the incident.
The father suffered a severe injury to his nose and cornea while the daughter required treatment for her badly-inflamed eye and a break to her forearm, according to reports.
The footage spread across social media with many people taking to the streets of Linares to protest as the two officers were waiting to appear before a local judge.
Due to growing unrest outside the courthouse, the judge decided it would be safer to transfer the victims to the province capital Jaen for the hearing.
Local media said the protest had snowballed into a riot, with bins set on fire and police using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
By the end of the violent riots, 13 people were arrested and 20 officers injured. All 13 detainees, two of whom were minors, were provisionally released while none of the police officers are reported to have suffered any injuries.
The local government estimated that EUR 30,000 (GBP 26,160) in material damage had been caused.
The police general director and the Linares City Council have expressed strong condemnation of the officers in the video.
The National Police announced has confirmed that the two off-duty officers in the footage have been placed in preliminary detention by a judge in Jaen.