Torrejón de Ardoz, a suburb of Madrid, is reeling after an off-duty municipal police officer killed Abderrahim, a 35-year-old Moroccan man on Tuesday, June 17, an act many say reflects a deeper issue of racism and police violence in Spain.
According to El Pais, the police officer, who was not in uniform, confronted Abderrahim after the latter allegedly stole his mobile phone.
The officer then used a controversial chokehold known as the mataleón where the arm is wrapped around the victim’s neck from behind, restricting airflow and blood circulation.
Abderrahim lost consciousness and later died.
The officer was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, but was released two days later under judicial supervision.
The judge did not consider him a flight risk or a threat to the investigation. However, the officer must now report to the court every Monday, has been stripped of his passport, and is suspended from active duty.
Madrid’s city council has also opened a disciplinary file against him.
On Saturday, June 21, more than 200 people gathered in Plaza de España in Torrejón to protest the death and express solidarity with Abderrahim’s family.
His mother and sister cried openly holding trembling photos of Abderrahim and shouting, “We want justice!” His brother, overwhelmed with grief, kissed his portrait and yelled, “Where is my brother? The police took him!”
The crowd included anti-racism groups, neighbors, and activists who chanted “Moroccan lives matter too”, “Out with fascists from our neighborhoods”, and “These are not deaths, these are murders.”
Carlos Buendía, from the collective Corredor en Lucha, led the crowd with a megaphone and encouraged people to speak out.
One local man, who knew Abderrahim, said: “He wasn’t even 60 kilos. Why use that kind of force? Just bending his arm would’ve been enough.”
Abderrahim’s father, Akkouh Mimoun, also spoke to the crowd. “My son wasn’t perfect. He had mental health issues, he had stolen before, and he used drugs. But he didn’t deserve to die. If he stole, arrest him and take him to court, but don’t kill him.”
Akkouh said that his son had been living in Spain for over 18 years and was receiving psychiatric treatment. “He was not well in the head,” he said.
Saturday’s demonstration ended with Buendía reading a statement on behalf of the organizing group: “We are facing yet another case of institutional racism. We demand full accountability for this brutal killing.” He also invited everyone to a public assembly next Friday to plan further action.
The anger wasn’t only local. On Friday, the anti-racism group SOS Racismo Madrid organized a protest in the capital’s Callao Square.
Its director, María Bennouna, declared: “It is not right that the accused killer is walking free. This is not an isolated case and not just an accident.”
Despite these calls for justice, Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, accused some left-wing voices of “politicizing” the incident and trying to criminalize the city’s police force.
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