Marbella mayor defends actions of Local Police force amid rising tension with illegal street vendors

The mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, has defended the town's Local Police force in the face of videos circulating on social media networks where an officer can be seen apparently hitting a tourist during a confrontation in a bar when he confiscated merchandise from an illegal street vendor.

“On some occasions, unfortunately, there are people who believe that tackling street vending is not a job for the police. In this case, there was a prior assault on the officers. I very clearly regret that such incidents occur and that images of this nature are shared, but I have no doubt whatsoever about the professionalism with which our police always act,” said the mayor.

Muñoz explained that “the police operate a year-round campaign against illegal sales”, adding that she regretted that incidents of this type occur, although she insisted that she was “absolutely convinced that our police always act in favour of and in defence of the law”.

Muñoz added, “We have no record of any complaint being filed against us, and therefore, we will continue working and supporting the rules of coexistence, which is what our police are meant to uphold.”

Special unit

Marbella town hall has a special unit to take action against illegal street vending which has seized a total of 12,330 items during the first five months of the year, of which more than 8,000 were counterfeit handbags, clothes or sunglasses.

A total of 125 reports were drawn up and a dozen officers were involved, six of them in uniform, four in plain clothes and two motorcyclists, acting mainly on the Paseo Marítimo and Virgen del Carmen, Puerto Banús and Cabopino marinas.