Anti-migrant unrest leaves several injured in Spanish town Torre Pacheco
Several people sustained injuries during a second consecutive night of anti-migrant unrest in Torre Pacheco, a town in southeastern Spain, following the assault of a local pensioner. Authorities confirmed the clashes on Sunday, which saw armed groups targeting individuals of North African origin.
Despite a reinforced police presence, groups wielding batons patrolled the streets, reportedly seeking migrants, according to the regional newspaper La Opinión de Murcia. The regional government did not specify the number of injured but announced the arrest of at least one individual linked to the violence.
Incident sparks unrest
The unrest began after a 68-year-old man claimed he was attacked in the street on Wednesday by three youths of North African origin. The assault, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, fueled tensions in the town of 36,000 residents.
A town hall-organized demonstration on Friday, intended to be peaceful, was disrupted by far-right participants shouting anti-migrant slogans. A group named "Deport Them Now" later posted a call for violence against people of North African descent on social media, escalating the situation further.
Calls for calm amid violence
On Sunday, Spanish authorities appealed for peace as tensions mounted. Fernando López Miras, leader of the Murcian regional government, urged residents to return to normality. "I understand the frustration, but nothing justifies violence," López Miras stated in a message on X, formerly Twitter.
Torre Pacheco’s mayor, Pedro Ángel Roca Torne, echoed the plea on RTVE public television, asking residents to remain calm. Meanwhile, Spain's Youth Minister Sira Rego, a member of the leftist Sumar party, condemned the anti-migrant violence in a post on Bluesky, blaming the "ultra-right" for inciting the unrest.
The situation underscores rising tensions in parts of Spain over migration, with authorities now focused on restoring order and preventing further violence.
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