ESPAÑOL

A man suffering from a severe psychological crisis, who had not committed any legal offence, led to the intervention of three different public institutions on the same day (City Police -Guardia Urbana-, Catalan Regional Police –Mossos d’Esquadra- and Medical Staff – SEM), and ended up dying while being arrested. How could this be possible?

Alfonso Bayard died at 6pm on April 2nd, 2014 at a public square in Barcelona. He collapsed while being arrested by the Catalan Regional Police -Mossos d’Esquadra- because he was bothering customers at a coffee shop. According to witnesses, Alfonso was not acting violently, neither was he committing any crime. Instead, he was suffering a nervous breakdown when the tragic events unfolded.

It is known that, a few hours before his fatal death, he had been assisted by the Municipal Police –Guardia Urbana- and medical staff –Servei d’Emergències Mèdiques- FOR SIMILAR REASONS, at a different spot. Still, Alfonso was asked by the medical staff to sign a document which stated he was sound and free to go. Then he was taken near his home by the police, and allowed to be on his own. No friend or family member was contacted.

A Protocol on How to Procede in Case of Medical Emergencies was approved in Catalunya in 2006 by the Catalan Government (Health, Justice and Home Affairs Ministers), the Barcelona City Hall and other relevant institutions. According to it, patients suffering from psychological crisis may be taken to mental institutions against their will. On its introduction, the Protocol states: the World Health Organization warns that mental illnesses will become one of the most common diseases in European Countries. Later on (art 3.2), it says: “Regardless of the staff that first assisted the patient, IT WILL BE UP TO THE MEDICAL STAFF TO DETERMINE THE COURSE OF ACTION, AND TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT ASSISTANCE TO THE PATIENT”.

According to the WHO, any of us could potentially suffer a mental illness or a psychological crisis one day. We should have the right to be assisted by public officers who can tell the difference between a legal offence and a medical emergency.

Please sign this petition, so that the person in charge of Public Safety in Catalunya (Mr. Ramon Espadaler i Parcerisas, Catalan Minister of Home Affairs) finds out exactly what happened on the day Alfonso Bayard died, and makes sure the right protocols and courses of actions are applied on this and similar, future cases.