A Congress session 'set on fire' by pepper spray: from jokes about "the hybrid attack" to the risk of sanctions for the PP
Sealed areas, twelve people treated and a version from the PP that does not add up after popular MP Ana Vázquez Blanco took out a toxic spray in the hemicycle over the Ceuta crisis
A heated session in Congress was marred by pepper spray yesterday. The aerosol was not introduced by outsiders nor thrown by demonstrators from the streets; rather, it was the action of the People's Party (PP) legislator, Ana Vázquez Blanco, who had informed her party the day before of her intention to display it during the control session of the government to highlight the insecurity in the streets of Ceuta.
Initial reports suggest that everyone involved initially believed the pepper spray to be empty, but the gas somehow infiltrated some conduits within the Congress. The police of the lower Chamber managed to seize the "weapon" of discord at 12:45, following over three hours of speculation and research to clarify why the toxic substance led to 12 individuals requiring medical attention and prompted the evacuation of two buildings located on either side of San Jerónimo street.
The Socialist legislator justified the event later on television, citing it as a common pastime, and is a former police officer.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
