*All links lead to sources in Spanish unless otherwise stated.

The day before May 1st, the International Day of Workers, during a protest in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, organised by Endavant (a socialist organisation for national freedom) under the slogan “Against the dictatorship of the euro: popular sovereignty” , a hundred protestors went through the district's streets peacefully followed throughout the entire route by 280 riot police, heavily armed with anti-gas masks and shotguns, as well as more than 100 policemen. A total of 40 police vans took to the district causing outrage amongst the community.

Photo of Grácia. Used with permission.

The group 15mbcntv has produced a satirical video condemning the police occupancy of the district:

Policemen in Vila de Gràcia. Photo by @SiitoMellark. Used with permission.

Immediately social networks and blogs were the platform for opinions and comments against the display of force from the new Interior Advisor of the Catalan Government, Ramón Espadaler, and the hashtag #manibrimo [protestRiotforce] was created.

@FacuDiazT: Llenar un barrio de antidisturbios el día antes del 1 de mayo. La cultura del miedo. #maniBRIMO pic.twitter.com/Xx2LrkuGN2

@FacuDiazT: Fill a district with riot police the day before May Day. The culture of Fear. #maniBRIMO pic.twitter.com/Xx2LrkuGN2

@vergman: Los mossos demuestran con #ManiBrimo y con sus actos el #1demayo que tienen más presupuesto del que necesitan.

@vergman: The squads display through the #ManiBrimo and their #1demayo [MayDay] actions that they have a bigger budget than necessary.

@Informatica_CGT: Desfile de los starship troopers de Mossos. Más que miedo, la verdad es que dan un poco de lastimilla http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS4m9SUe9kQ #maniBRIMO

@Informatica_CGT: The police Starship Troopers march in. More than fear, you feel a little bit sorry for them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS4m9SUe9kQ #maniBRIMO

*Cover photo taken and made available by Sergio Picón.