The city of Granada was the scene this Thursday of a solemn ceremony honoring terrorism victims within the National Police. The Superior Headquarters of Eastern Andalusia hosted the commemoration, presided over by the Government's sub-delegate in Granada, José Antonio Montilla, and the chief of police for Eastern Andalusia, Luis Jesús Esteban Lezaun, alongside other civil and military authorities.
This day, established in 2024, aims to honor the memory of assassinated officers and offer support to their families. The chosen date, June 16th, commemorates the anniversary of the murder of chief inspector María José García Sánchez in 1981. The event in Granada highlighted the presence of ten victims and their families from the province, recalling that between 1968 and 2015, 188 members of the force were murdered in Spain, with 23 police officers from the Superior Headquarters of Eastern Andalusia recognized as victims of terrorism.
Also attending the event were the head of the Civil Guard Command in Granada, Francisco Javier Arteaga Manzano; the provincial chief of the National Police in Granada, Rafael Rodríguez Pérez; and the representative of the Association of Victims of Terrorism, José Antonio Sola Rodríguez.
During the commemoration, the importance of preserving the memory of the victims and institutional recognition was emphasized. The provincial commissioner stressed that "no political, ideological, or religious end justifies the use of violence or the loss of a single human life," recalling the cost borne by the National Police.
For his part, José Antonio Montilla stated that Spain's democratic memory includes victims of terrorism, calling for "truth, justice, reparation, and the guarantee of non-repetition." He highlighted that remembrance and reparation are a "moral duty" and an "obligation of the State."
This initiative joins others such as the European Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism (March 11th) and state regulations providing support to those affected.
