Spanish police have arrested ten people, including a Moroccan, since Friday for assaulting a Spanish retiree, which sparked unrest in Torre Pacheco, according to media reports.
The violence began after Domingo, a 68-year-old local, was attacked on the street by “three young men of North African origin for reportedly no clear reason.”
The same sources said two of those arrested are immigrants who don’t live in Torre Pacheco, and the third was caught in the Basque Country while trying to flee to France.
The other seven, including the Moroccan and six Spaniards, face charges for disturbing public order, hate crimes, and intentional injury.
This incident came amid a rising trend of racist attacks targeting the Moroccan community, especially after far-right groups used it to spread hate and cause tension in society.
Human rights groups are very worried and have asked for minorities to be protected and for individual crimes not to be used as an excuse for racism.
The Secretary General of the Socialist party in Murcia, Francisco Lucas, has filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor against José Ángel Antelo, the regional leader of Vox, for alleged hate crimes.
This follows Antelo’s recent statements at a far-right event called “Defend Yourself Against Insecurity,” which Socialists say harm the coexistence and the dignity of thousands in the region.
The Secretary of Organization of Podemos, Pablo Fernández, has announced he will also file complaints against Antelo and Vox’s national leader, Santiago Abascal, “accusing them of encouraging violence against immigrants.”
“His words threaten the safety of thousands and go against human rights. Enough of normalizing this situation. It cannot go unpunished. Racism and violence have no place in a democracy,” said Lucas on X.
Fernández also criticized the Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, saying he could just as well be a minister for the PP or Vox parties.
He denounced what he called the virtual impunity enjoyed by far-right attackers, accusing some police officers of even cronying themselves with the Nazis.
Fernández said the incidents in Torre Pacheco show “the institutional racism that exists in Spain, pointing to the attackers’ ongoing impunity.”
The recent unrest has left many Moroccan residents living in fear due to a hoax video that falsely linked them to violence against the Spanish retiree.
The video, which was widely shared on social media, actually depicted a separate homophobic attack on a homeless man two months ago and was later proven to be unrelated.
Far-right agitators seized on the false footage to stir tensions, targeting the town’s sizeable North African community, which makes up nearly a third of Torre Pacheco’s residents.
For families of foreign origin, this has led to increased fear and a sense of vulnerability amidst the ongoing unrest and political debate on immigration.
“The calm of the day starts to fade when it gets dark,” said a Moroccan resident who has lived in Torre Pacheco since childhood, echoing a widespread fear among Moroccans who no longer feel safe walking the streets, especially with the limited police presence during the early days of the disturbances.
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