Walter Finch
A FORMER Valencia police commissioner is facing three years behind bars for inflammatory statements claiming that most immigrants arriving by boat in Spain are criminals.
Ricardo Ferris, who previously headed Valencia’s Central District Police Station, appeared before Valencia Provincial Court today charged with violating fundamental rights and public freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
The prosecution is seeking a three-year prison sentence, fines and disqualification from public office for comments made during an immigration and citizen security conference on October 14, 2022.
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At the event, organised by the Foundation for the Defence of the Spanish Nation (DENAES) and the Vox Parliamentary Group, Ferris claimed that ‘virtually all of the arrests made by the Police and Civil Guard are foreigners, people who come from abroad, in the broadest sense of the word.’
He went further, stating: “I’m not just talking about these guys who arrive in the small boats, many of whom are criminals.”
The former commissioner also attacked European border agency Frontex, calling it ‘a sham’ and ‘absolutely useless’ based on conversations with colleagues who had worked with the organisation.
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Ferris cited an alleged example from Andalucia, claiming: “I’ve been dealing with the weakest ones, the Algerians arriving in the small boats, and absolutely everyone told me the same thing: all those arriving in the small boats are ex-convicts.
“They’ve just gotten out of prison.”
Prosecutors argue that Ferris made these statements ‘knowing that the information he was referring to was false’ and deliberately spread messages aimed at fostering ‘rejection, contempt, hostility, and animosity’ toward immigrants.
The government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, condemned the remarks at the time as ‘absolutely despicable, reprehensible and, above all, false.’
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Following an internal investigation announced by Bernabé, who stated that Ferris ‘in no way’ represented the police force, he was stripped of all his responsibilities.
The trial continues as Spain grapples with ongoing debates over immigration policy and the treatment of migrants arriving via small boat crossings from North Africa.
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He is right and of course his freedom of speech needs to be suppressed so others don’t catch on to what is going on. We here in America face the same problems, many migrants are criminals recently let out of jail, this is no surprise to anyone. But at least here, you’re not going to jail for mentioning it. Apparently Spain is now the new UK, where you’re be jailed for just mentioning it. God help us all