Clashes erupted in the town of Torre Pacheco, located in southeastern Spain, following an attack on an elderly Spanish man. Local residents attributed the incident to migrants. Journalists and experts are now describing the events as the most intense confrontation between newcomers and long-time residents in recent decades.
Massive clashes between locals and migrants persist in Torre Pacheco. The situation escalated after an elderly Spaniard suffered multiple injuries in an assault. A photo of his bruised face circulated widely on social media. The perpetrators have not been found, and the motive for the attack remains unclear, but local media report that residents suspect migrants were involved.
This led to group confrontations and fights, including the use of knives. Numerous online videos show young people attacking cars and throwing bottles. At least one person has been arrested, and five others have been injured.
Spanish media have already labeled the situation a local civil war, according to Spanish journalist Mikhail Blokhin.
For the second consecutive day and night, clashes have been occurring in the town of Torre Pacheco in the province of Murcia between far-right activists and migrants residing there. Local authorities have increased police presence on the streets with gendarmerie forces. The mayor of the town strongly criticized the protesters, reminding them that violence is not a solution and that such matters should be handled by the police and relevant authorities. This is not the first such incident in Spain. Each time a migrant is involved in an offense, it triggers a significant wave of discontent. The migration issue is very sensitive for Spaniards, primarily because since the 2015 migration crisis, Spain has, in my opinion, received the largest number of migrants among all EU countries. This is a key leverage point for parties like the far-right Vox (`Voice`), which constantly uses the migration agenda in its political strategies. For instance, in one election campaign, they calculated that one undocumented minor migrant from Morocco costs the treasury 5,000 euros per month, while the average pension of a Spanish citizen is around 550 euros per month. There was also a scandalous moment two months ago when a far-right group called `National Core` released a video on social media calling for citizens to mobilize against migrants, literally urging people to take to the streets and `get rid of the newcomers.` The video was banned in Spain. An investigation was conducted, which, as far as I understand, did not lead to significant consequences. This lack of firm action, I believe, also empowers far-right forces.
Participants in the demonstrations, including far-right activists, reportedly chanted racist slogans and saluted Franco. According to the mayor, the unrest was provoked by calls from far-right groups for a «migrant hunt.» People from North Africa make up approximately a third of the town`s population of 40,000.
Organizations like Orgullo Espanol and Falange actively fueled hatred on social media, while leaders of the Vox party openly supported the deportation of undocumented migrants. Authorities have appealed for calm. The regional president, Fernando López Miras, stated that those responsible would be punished. Journalist from Spain, Maxim Evseev, adds:
In the last two or three years, it has turned out that a policy that was very tolerant towards immigrants, specifically illegal immigrants, has led to intolerance. There is a party called Vox. It advocates for fighting illegal immigration. For instance, eight years ago, the Vox party had no representation in parliament at all, but now it has about 6%. So, in recent years, the right-wing agenda about fighting migration and removing all socialist policies has gained significant support among Spanish residents. In Torre Pacheco, people used to live normally; there were no problems. Even with 25% newcomers in the town, imagine that. But then this scandal happened. Three young men, for some unknown reason, decided to beat up an old man. He went out for a walk, and three young immigrant men suddenly decided to have such `fun.` One of them did the beating. That`s what`s known; I`ve been following the news all day. They decided to have this `fun` to record a video and upload it to social media. Why they did this is unclear, as the police later confirmed it wasn`t a robbery. The man had his watch and wallet with him, and they didn`t take anything. They are still being sought today.
The events are described as the most violent confrontation between migrants and Spaniards in decades. The events occurred less than two weeks after the ruling conservative party and the far-right Vox party in Spain disagreed on the necessity of the regional government acquiring housing for minor migrants in the Murcia region, where the unrest flared up. Vox opposed it, and the ruling People`s Party (Partido Popular) was forced to agree, as they need the support of the far-right to pass laws.
