Disinformation fuels anti-migrant violence in southeastern Spain

Saturday 19 July 2025 - 11:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Disinformation fuels anti-migrant violence in southeastern Spain

Recent anti-migrant unrest in the southeastern Spanish town of Torre Pacheco highlights how online disinformation drives xenophobic hate speech, escalating tensions into real-life violence with political support, experts warn.

Clashes sparked by false narratives

Last weekend, far-right groups clashed with immigrant residents—primarily of Moroccan origin—following an alleged unprovoked attack on a 68-year-old pensioner by three men of North African descent on July 9.

The situation intensified after the conservative-led city council organized a protest against insecurity on July 11. Far-right groups joined the demonstration, using hostile slogans against immigrants, which led to several nights of riots in the town of 40,000 people.

Authorities arrested 14 individuals, including three suspects linked to the attack on the retiree and the leader of the far-right group "Deport Them Now," who used social media to incite violence, reportedly calling for a "hunt" of migrants.

Social media’s role in spreading disinformation

Experts attribute the unrest to the spread of false claims and disinformation online. A video falsely claiming to show the alleged assault on the pensioner, along with a fabricated list of attackers, was widely shared on social media but later debunked by AFP's verification team.

Alexandre Lopez Borrull, a communications professor at the Open University of Catalonia, described disinformation as both "fuel and spark," brewing for months before being ignited by specific incidents, such as the case in Torre Pacheco.

Sociology professor Elisa Brey from Madrid’s Complutense University compared the phenomenon to arson during wildfire season: "Disinformation acts like a match thrown into a tinderbox during heightened tensions."

Far-right rhetoric amplifies tensions

The far-right Vox party has been accused of amplifying anti-immigrant sentiment. Vox has long linked immigration to crime and proposed a "remigration" plan to deport certain migrants, echoing far-right movements across Europe.

Vox’s leader in the Murcia region, where Torre Pacheco is located, publicly blamed the riots on "illegal immigration" and accused migrants of crimes against the elderly and women. His comments are now under investigation for potential hate speech by Spanish prosecutors.

Brey explained how malicious narratives spread through online platforms like Telegram before moving to mainstream social networks such as TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), where they are further amplified by political figures.

Political motives behind disinformation

Marcelino Madrigal, an expert in cybersecurity and online platforms, noted that disinformation campaigns often serve political purposes. He suggested that some parties exploit immigration issues to destabilize governments and position themselves as solutions to fabricated problems, particularly during periods of political uncertainty.

Foreigners currently account for 14% of Spain's population, up from just 1.6% in 1998. This demographic shift, coupled with targeted disinformation, has fueled xenophobic rhetoric, culminating in unrest like that seen in Torre Pacheco.