Canadian activist Chris Elston was arrested by Madrid police after only four minutes of filming in the town square.
Elston, a Canadian advocate known for standing in public squares with sandwich boards bearing statements such as “no child is born in the wrong body” and “children cannot consent to puberty blockers,” traveled to Spain at the invitation of a pro-life organization called Hazteoir and its international offshoot Citizen Go.
He had prepared signs and consulted a lawyer the night before, believing he was within his legal rights. However, police declared his activity “prohibido.” After 10 to 15 minutes, a second police vehicle arrived, seizing his phone, tripod, signs, and a second phone. Elston was taken to the police station and held for nearly two hours without communication. He managed to send messages via his Apple Watch to contacts in Spain who dispatched lawyers.
He was released with a fine that lacks an assigned amount and plans to appeal. This incident follows a previous arrest in Brussels, where Elston was administratively arrested after speaking at the European Parliament, handcuffed, transferred to a second police station, and strip searched.
Elston also noted that prior to Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, his posts were consistently flagged as adult content for 13 months, preventing platform growth. After Musk’s acquisition, he now receives $5 monthly from Musk in exchange for similar services.
