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Eight individuals have been arrested in Spain following the unusual anti-migrant unrest that gripped the town of Torre Pacheco over the past weekend, as confirmed by the interior minister on Monday.
The violence erupted on Friday, persisting for three nights, after a 68-year-old man informed local media that “three youths of North African origin had beaten him up in the street.”
The mayor of the southeastern town, Pedro Angel Roca, told Cadena SER radio that social media had become a “breeding ground” for the clashes, which resulted in damaged urban furniture and smashed car windows.
Roca condemned “groups coming to create violence.” In addition, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska informed Cadena SER that law enforcement had intercepted several vehicles attempting to enter the town carrying “dangerous items” like sticks. A far-right group, named “Deport Them Now,” had also reportedly posted an online message advocating for attacks against individuals of North African descent.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Marlaska confirmed that “eight people” have been arrested. This includes “two present during the attack on the elderly man whose role is being investigated.” The other six detainees, consisting of “five Spaniards and one North African,” were apprehended for “assault, damage and altercations,” as stated by Mariola Guevara Cava, the central government’s representative in the Murcia region, on X.
To quell the unrest, the Civil Guard has deployed “90 officers,” with Marlaska indicating that more would be sent “until this concludes.”
The Moroccan Association for the Integration of Immigrants issued a statement demanding that “threats, attacks and fear in the streets must end,” and called for “real protection for the affected people.”
The mayor also told state television channel TVE that immigrants constitute “30 percent of the town’s inhabitants,” primarily of Moroccan origin, with the vast majority engaged in seasonal farm work. He emphasised that “These are people who have been living in the town for more than 20 years.” Moroccans represent the largest foreign nationality in Spain, with over 920,000 individuals, according to recent official figures.
