The activists, known as 'Las 8 de Becerril' (The 8 of Becerril), appeared before the State Attorney General's Office to launch the 'Las 8 de Becerril' campaign, promoted by the Villalba Housing Assembly and Amnesty International. They also announced a crowdfunding initiative to raise at least 20,000 euros to cover legal costs, denouncing what they see as the criminalization of peaceful protest.
The events occurred on September 13, 2025, during the penultimate stage of La Vuelta, when over a hundred people protested against the presence of the Israel Premier Tech team. According to the Villalba Housing Assembly, two activists rappelled from a bridge with a banner, while other demonstrators occupied the road near Becerril de la Sierra.
Pablo González, the only person arrested that day, stated that the judicial proceeding aims to be an "exemplary punishment" targeting the solidarity movement with Palestine. He reported being detained for less than two hours and denounced a "disproportionate" action by Civil Guard officers, claiming they crushed his face against the roadside and broke his glasses during the arrest.
The activists are accused of attacking authority, disobedience, and public disorder, offenses that could carry prison sentences. Their lawyer, Diego Redondo, has denounced the case as a "warning" against pro-Palestinian protests and warned of potential "significant prison sentences." The defendants are summoned to testify on October 21 in a court in Collado Villalba and have categorically denied the accusations.
Redondo described the case as a "political trial," highlighting the "hypocrisy" of a "State that encourages boycotts and mobilization and then prosecutes activists." He reiterated the charges of alleged attacks against authority, resistance, disobedience, and public disorder.
The activists jointly criticized the "hypocrisy" of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, accusing him of urging boycotts "but only the ones he wanted." They warned that they would turn the judicial process into a political cause given the circumstances and defended civil disobedience as a legitimate democratic tool, demanding the case be dismissed.
Daniel Canales, from Amnesty International Spain, stated that "protesting is not a crime" and expressed confidence that the proceedings "will not go further," warning of the "deterrent effect" such procedures can have on social mobilization.
When asked about a potential law in the Assembly of Madrid allowing the regional government to join as a private prosecutor in cases like the 2025 La Vuelta disturbances, Redondo suggested it was a "political headline" by Isabel Díaz Ayuso's administration and that such a move would represent "another limitation on the right to protest."
