Spain rocked by racist violence following assault on pensioner
Illustrative photo: Clashes between far-right and migrants took place in Spain (Getty Images)
Racist unrest continues for two nights in Torre-Pacheco, Spain, following brutal attack on pensioner, El Pais informs,
This week in Torre-Pacheco, unknown assailants beat an elderly man on the street. He sustained injuries but is now home recovering. Motives remain unclear, and no arrests have been made.
Maríola Guevara, the central government representative in the Murcia region, told public television that the incident is under investigation. She condemned the spread of hatred and calls for violence as far-right groups began arriving in the city. Authorities have decided to increase the Civil Guard presence to prevent further unrest.
According to local authorities, about one-third of Torre-Pacheco’s residents are immigrants. The area is known as an agricultural hub and hosts many migrants working seasonal farm jobs.
Mass unrest
Despite appeals from local officials, riots broke out on the nights of July 12 and 13.
Initially, on July 11, the local government organized a peaceful rally after the attack on the elderly man. Around 500 people attended, but that same night, clashes began in different parts of the city. On the evening of July 12, far-right activists gathered in the city center, shouting slogans against migrants.
Maríola Guevara, the regional government representative in Murcia, reported that one person was detained during the nighttime clashes and three others suffered minor injuries. Around 10 p.m., tensions rose between two opposing groups, prompting police to form a human barrier to prevent conflict.
The city mayor, who had called for the initial rally, condemned the escalation of violence and stressed that radical activists from outside are arriving in Torre-Pacheco. He urged residents not to fall for provocations: "Crime cannot be fought with violence — it’s a road to nowhere."
Meanwhile, far-right forces are stepping up their rhetoric. Anti-immigrant messages, mostly targeting Moroccans, are spreading rapidly on social media. The far-right party Vox also got involved; its regional leader José Ángel Antelo spoke at a city rally with the slogan "Protect yourself from crime," blaming migration again for rising violence and chaos.
It is worth noting that Spain deployed troops to its border several years ago to stop the flow of illegal migrants from North Africa. Just weeks ago, 8,000 Africans crossed into the country.
