On Tuesday, the press room of the Spanish Congress of Deputies was deserted as journalists staged a walkout in response to disruptive actions by far-right activists.

This incident occurred during a press conference led by Verónica Barbero, spokesperson for the leftist political coalition, Sumar, when an activist interrupted her speech, preventing journalists from fulfilling their responsibilities according to the established protocols of the lower house.

The disruption is a recurring issue, with representatives of fringe media often obstructing reporters, cameras, and photographers by trying to seize the question-and-answer segment without proper authorization.

They typically resort to shouting and vociferating without microphones to drown out speakers, making it challenging for legitimate media outlets to broadcast coverage of the proceedings.

On this occasion, escalating threats and a high level of verbal aggression prompted Barbero to conclude her press briefing prematurely, leaving approximately twenty media representatives unable to question the deputy.

In protest, the parliamentary journalists opted to boycott all six scheduled press conferences for the day, resulting in a nearly empty press room while only far-right agitators attended, many of whom previously served as advisors to extreme right parties.

This protest, unanimously agreed upon by the 34 journalists present during the incident, aims to pressure lawmakers to approve a proposed amendment to the regulations currently under consideration by the Congress of Deputies' Board of Spokespersons.

In recent weeks, over fifty journalists from a diverse array of media outlets have voiced their rejection of such disruptive tactics, describing the conditions for work as increasingly 'violent'.

The regulation amendment, backed by several political groups including PSOE, Sumar, ERC, Junts, Bildu, PNV, BNG, and Coalición Canaria, incorporates unprecedented rules aimed at upholding ethical standards and respect for the press.

This proposed regulation is the only legislation capable of establishing rules of conduct and a sanctioning system for any breaches.

However, the popular and Vox parties declined to support these measures.

Following the boycott, several press conferences, including one planned by Compromís, did not take place.

Aina Vidal, spokesperson for the Commons, emphasized that 'freedom of expression does not equate to the right to threaten, manipulate, or mistreat politicians or journalists,' condemning such behavior as 'rude and fascist', while expressing full support for the Congress journalists and their initiatives.

In spite of the disturbance, Miguel Tellado, the spokesperson for the Popular Party in Congress, distanced himself from Sumar's call for regulatory reforms to prevent incidents like Tuesday's. He noted, 'I did not witness the incident and cannot analyze it,' while criticizing the implications for Parliament should any measures to 'expel or revoke credentials from certain journalists' be enacted.

Tellado defended the importance of freedom of expression and press freedom, rejecting the PP's involvement in what he characterized as an attempt by other parliamentary groups to 'silence' and 'control' the media, and accusing PSOE and Sumar of being more concerned with covering up corruption issues.

The PP, alongside Vox, stands alone in its position; other groups emphasize that the proposed reforms will not curtail or reduce the media's right to obtain and disseminate truthful information to the public.

Patxi López, a socialist, clarified that the aim is to address the actions of 'far-right activists' attending press conferences.

The current Congress regulations, established in 1982, grant the Board of Congress the authority to manage media accreditation.

The proposed changes would also include provisions for renewing these accreditations and stipulating requirements aimed at ensuring truthful information access and the effective functioning of Congress.

Furthermore, a Parliamentary Communication Consultative Council will be introduced, comprising representatives from each political group and professional media collectives, tasked with recommending sanctions against accredited journalists when necessary.

However, the final authority will rest with the Board of Congress.

Accredited journalists will be required to adhere to 'parliamentary courtesy rules' and directives from the Board, prohibiting any unauthorized recordings.

Each political group will appoint a coordinator for their informational meetings, responsible for maintaining order in these settings.

In this context, violations of the proposed regulations would incur sanctions, categorized as minor, serious, or very serious, including temporary suspension or permanent revocation of credentials.