Riots engulfed the southeastern town of Torre-Pacheco on Saturday night when men wearing far-right insignia and North-African migrants hurled stones and bottles at each other, police said. Five people were treated for injuries and one suspect was detained; more arrests are expected.
The street battles erupted after days of simmering tension triggered by Wednesday’s still-unsolved assault on an 80-year-old Spaniard. Videos shared online show angry residents waved Spanish flags while migrants brandished Moroccan flags.
Regional delegate Mariola Guevara condemned the “hate speech” that drew outside agitators to the largely agricultural town, where nearly one-third of residents are foreign-born. Extra Guardia Civil units have been deployed amid fears of a repeat of the 2000 anti-immigrant riots in nearby El Ejido.