The Universidad de Murcia (UMU) restricted access to the campus at Plaza de la Merced to holders of a university card, thereby preventing an appearance by right-wing activist Vito Quiles that had previously been announced on social media. The university management said there had been no formal request to use university premises; the decision was taken on public-order grounds. The Policía Nacional blocked access roads around the square to prevent opposing groups from confronting each other.
According to matching reports in local media, early that evening mainly students and university supporters gathered for a counter-protest near Plaza de la Merced. A smaller group of Vito Quiles’s supporters initially remained within sight. The crowd temporarily moved towards Plaza Julián Romea in the city centre. Both sides chanted slogans; according to eyewitness accounts, it initially remained a war of words. No serious incidents or mass arrests had been reported by the editorial deadline.
UMU representatives stressed that the measures were intended to safeguard security, teaching and the right to peaceful assembly. The Delegación del Gobierno de Murcia supported the operation alongside the Policía Nacional. University members and trade unions had already announced protests against Quiles’s presence on campus. According to elDiario.es, regional politicians from Podemos also took part in the counter-protest, including MP María Marín and Víctor Egío.
Spanish media describe Vito Quiles as a far-right agitator. Through his channels, he had called on supporters to meet at the university. According to the university, UMU had never officially approved an event. The university reaffirmed that its premises are not available for unauthorised political rallies and cited its duty to minimise risks to public safety.
At the time of publication, the gatherings in Murcia were proceeding in an orderly manner under police supervision. It initially remained unclear whether any statements or confrontations would have legal consequences. This report is based on information from the university, statements by the security authorities and matching accounts from several regional media outlets.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).