A total of 14 people have been arrested and extra police have been deployed after an attack on a pensioner sparked anti-migrant unrest in a small town in southern Spain. Three people of North African origin have been detained on suspicion of attacking the 68-year-old man in Torre Pacheco last Wednesday.
The unrest began after a video circulated on social media, inflaming the town of 40,000 people which is home to a large immigrant population. The pensioner and police later said the video was unrelated to the incident but social media calls to find and attack the perpetrators multiplied quickly.
By Friday groups armed with batons could be seen roaming the streets of Torre Pacheco.
One far-right group called “Deport Them Now” called for attacks on people of North African origin. Further messages on social media have called for renewed attacks on immigrants over three days this week.
A leading member of the extremist group was detained in the north-eastern town of Mataró on suspicion of spreading hate speech.
The 68-year-old victim of last Wednesday’s attack, named locally as Domingo Tomás Domínguez, told Spanish media he was thrown to the ground and hit while taking his morning walk.
A photo circulating on social media showed his face bearing extensive bruising.
Police said the motive for the attack was unclear. Mr Domínguez said he was not asked to hand over money or his belongings and did not understand the language his attackers were speaking.
Police presence has been beefed up, with more than 130 officers from both the local police in the province of Murcia and Guardia Civil.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X: “What we are seeing in Torre-Pacheco challenges us all. We must speak out, act firmly, and defend the values that unite us. Spain is a country of rights, not hate.”
Credit: bbc.com
