Authorities in Spain announced the arrest of eight individuals linked to violent confrontations that erupted between far-right factions, local residents, and migrants in Torre-Pacheco, a town in the Murcia region, over the weekend.
The unrest began on Saturday night after a 68-year-old man reported that he had been assaulted earlier in the week by three men of North African descent. This incident sparked a rallying cry from far-right groups, who called for retribution against the area’s significant migrant population. Reports indicate that these groups armed with batons began patrolling the streets in search of individuals perceived as foreign.
Details of the arrests and police response
According to Mariola Guevara, the central government’s representative in Murcia, among those apprehended were two individuals presumed to be connected to the assault on the elderly man, along with several others involved in the subsequent clashes over the weekend. In total, six Spanish nationals and one North African resident were detained on charges related to the assaults, property damage, and disturbances.
To restore order, a substantial police presence was deployed to Torre-Pacheco, which boasts a population of approximately 42,000, with about one-third of its residents being of foreign origin. This force included over 75 police officers as well as units from the Civil Guard and riot control.
Community response and government statements
The local media has reported that some businesses, particularly those owned by families of Moroccan descent, have closed, and parents are choosing not to send their children to school amid fears of further violence. The Civil Guard has initiated an investigation to trace those responsible for inciting violence through messages shared on encrypted channels and social media, which included calls to “hunt down immigrants.”
“Spain is not a country of immigrant hunting,”
stated Spain’s Minister of Migration, Elma Saiz, while condemning the far-right for escalating the tensions. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska also criticized the far-right Vox party and the conservative People’s Party, asserting that their rhetoric has contributed to the unrest.
Vox, which garnered nearly 19% of the vote in the last municipal elections in Torre-Pacheco, has used its social media platforms to place blame on North African immigrants for instilling fear within the community. In response to the accusations, the party has denied any wrongdoing regarding the riots, instead calling for a strict stance against illegal immigration.