A Celtic fan was left needing staples and stitches to his head after he claims he was battered by Spanish police in an unprovoked attack. Dave Moir, 33, had travelled to the country to watch his team take on Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
He was in the capital with his dad Derek, 63, and Derek's partner Jaz on Tuesday afternoon when the trio's holiday turned into a living nightmare.
Dave, whose family are from Aberdeen, told how he and other supporters had gathered at O'Reilly's Irish Bar, to enjoy a few drinks.
He said that fans were singing and "everything was good natured" - but explained the atmosphere soon turned violent after Spanish cops dressed in riot gear began to charge at the supporters before cornering them and lashing out with batons.
Dave told the Record: "The police came out of nowhere and marched us into a corner. There was no trouble at all prior to this. Everything that was taking place was good natured. But the cops were so controlling and heavy handed for no reason at all.
"There were lots of families there, women and young kids, it wasn't just a rowdy bunch of blokes. We began shouting to the officers asking them 'Why, why?' and we put our hands up to show we meant no harm.
"We backed away as far as we could, but then they stormed at us and started beating us up."
Dave attempted to escape the rammy, but was left covered in blood as he suffered three separate blows from one officer's baton - two to the back of his head and one to his forehead. Fellow Celtic fans managed to pick him up from the street and took him to a nearby bar to check over his injuries. His dad Derek was also pushed to the ground and trampled on as others tried to flee the scene.
Dave continued: "After I was attacked a couple of Celtic fans picked me up and took me to a bar, then the staff there bandaged me up.
"But when we got back to our hotel I took the bandage off and realised my injuries were really bad so we had to head to A&E. I'm glad I went because I ended up getting staples and stitches after a local anaesthetic."
Video footage from the scene where Dave was injured on Tuesday afternoon showed Spanish riot cops armed with shields and batons approaching Celtic fans sitting at street tables outside a pub. The officers were seen to push the fans with their batons and shields in an attempt to herd them away from the tables.
The football supporters could be seen demanding to know why they were being moved, before the armed officers became more forceful, physically pulling them out of their seats.
Officers then charged at the group, hitting out with their batons and knocking the tourists to the ground.
Dave added: "There's a man on the ground at the end of that video clip. That is my dad. He got whacked on his back and his hand and suffered some bruising.
"His partner was okay, but only because she was being protected by other fans. I got the worst of it."
Dave and dad Derek have travelled all around Europe following the Hoops and he says he has never seen anything like the behaviour of cops in Madrid in the past.
He added: "It put such a downer on the trip. I've travelled to watch Celtic for many years, to Paris, Amsterdam, Leverkusen and Barcelona - and we've never seen anything like this. No one knows why the police did this and we are raging.
"I could understand it if we had been fighting or kicking off, but we're not like that. Everyone just tried to run away."
MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Bob Doris said: "I am aware of allegations of heavy handedness by Spanish Police. It is concerning to learn this incident has resulted in the serious injury of a supporter uninvolved in the altercation and assaulted by officers simply for being present. Of course the entire matter should be investigated and I very much hope Celtic Football Club will also do its part also to ensure lessons are learned."
Celtic FC and the Foreign Office were approached for comment.
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