Overview
- In a Thursday Radio Euskadi interview, EH Bildu leader Arnaldo Otegi said he does not hate the Ertzaintza and accused the PNV of instrumentalizing criticism to blunt Bildu’s electoral growth.
- Otegi argued for replacing the current setup with a decentralized, community‑oriented police model, citing Nordic and British references and criticizing what he called disproportionate actions.
- Conservative coverage reported he avoided explicitly condemning death‑threat graffiti targeting Security Minister Bingen Zupiria, while parties including the PNV and PP publicly denounced the threats.
- Months of tension include an assault on the Azpeitia station, the October 12 clash in Vitoria, persistent anti‑police graffiti and a university boycott, with new messages reported in Legorreta and Zestoa.
- The Basque Government’s Security Forum launched in June runs through 2026, as Security chief Bingen Zupiria defends recent communication shifts that include noting offenders’ origins and remarks linking knife incidents to ‘foreigners without roots.’