Seville's Mayor Backs Police Action During Holy Burial Procession

José Luis Sanz downplays the incident but deems the area's evacuation justified due to crowd density.

Image of a crowd during a religious procession in a narrow street in Seville.
IA

Image of a crowd during a religious procession in a narrow street in Seville.

Seville's Mayor, José Luis Sanz, has defended the actions of the Local Police during Holy Saturday, when moments of tension arose in the Official Route as the Holy Burial brotherhood passed.

Speaking to Radio Sevilla, Sanz minimized what he described as a "discrepancy between the police officer and a Nazarene," but stressed the necessity of police intervention. According to the mayor, the decision to clear the area was based on a "significant concentration" of people and the "tensions" already perceived, including shouts.

"I understand that the criterion adopted by the Local Police was to try to clear out some of the people who were concentrated there."

José Luis Sanz · Mayor of Seville
Meanwhile, Fermín Vázquez, elder brother of the Holy Burial brotherhood, explained on Canal Sur that the procession's halt was due to factors beyond the brotherhood's control, which was already "compressed to the maximum." Vázquez clarified that the corporation had no intention of disobeying authority or impeding the passage of people.

"I understand the situation, that people protest and make the officers there nervous. Lately, people are disembarking in Seville's Holy Week who seem to be going to a football match."

Fermín Vázquez · Elder Brother of the Holy Burial