The historical reenactment, part of the Dos de Mayo program, recalled the events that unfolded after French troops attempted to move the last members of the Royal Family out of the country. The square was filled with thousands of spectators, many standing, to witness the performance.
The event was attended by the president of the Community of Madrid and the mayor of the capital, who had previously participated in the institutional act held at the Real Casa de Correos, where the Grand Crosses were awarded.
Puerta del Sol became a period market where residents conversed, unaware of what was about to happen.
The approximately 30-minute performance was organized by the Asociación Histórico-Cultural Voluntarios de Madrid 1808-1814. Hundreds of reenactors, along with carriages and cannons, brought the scene to life, guided by two narrators who recounted the events to the audience.
The staging detailed how the arrival of a French sergeant and his platoon to transport Infanta María Luisa and Infante Francisco de Paula triggered the conflict. A locksmith's warning about the Royal Family's departure to France led to the first shots and the spontaneous confrontation of the people of Madrid against the French soldiers.
The reenactment culminated with the irruption of a French column and the firing of a cannon, causing panic among the crowd and leaving a scene of wounded and deceased, in a poignant reminder of the violence that accompanied the popular uprising. The organizing association, declared of public utility, has been recreating the volunteer regiments that participated in the War of Independence for over two decades.
