Several people injured in second night of anti-migrant unrest in Spanish town
Despite a major police presence, groups armed with batons roamed the streets looking for people with foreign origins, the regional newspaper La Opinión de Murcia reported.
The regional government did not say how many people were injured but stated that at least one person had been arrested over the violence.
The unrest erupted after a 68-year-old man told Spanish media he was beaten up in the street on Wednesday by three young people of north African origin. The attack was filmed and put on social media.
The town hall organised a demonstration on Friday that was intended to be peaceful but where far-right elements shouted anti-migrant slogans. One group called Deport Them Now posted a message on social media calling for attacks against people of north African origin.
Spanish authorities launched an appeal for calm on Sunday in the town of 36,000 people.
The conservative head of the Murcian regional government, Fernando López Miras, said in a post on X: 'Torre Pacheco must get back to normal. I understand the frustration but nothing justifies violence.'
The Torre Pacheco mayor, Pedro Angel Roca Ternel, told RTVE public television: 'I call on residents to be calm, for tranquillity.'
Spain's youth minister, Sira Rego, a member of the hard-left Sumar alliance, condemned the violence against migrants in a message on Bluesky, blaming the 'ultra-right' for the unrest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Sesame Workshop addresses 'disgusting' antisemitic posts on hacked Elmo X account
Sesame Workshop said the X account for its beloved fuzzy, red monster Elmo was compromised by an "unknown hacker" who made antisemitic and racist posts to its official account on Sunday. The posts, which a spokesperson for Sesame Workshop described as "disgusting messages," have since been removed from the account, which has over 650,000 followers. Screenshots of the posts, about six in total, have continued to recirculate across social media. The Elmo account, which in the past has gone viral for its family-friendly upbeat messaging and humorous posts, called for violence against Jews and described President Donald Trump as a "puppet" of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The hacker also alleged Trump "is in the Epstein files," referencing case files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 while in custody. A spokesperson for Sesame Workshop said Sunday that they 'are working to restore full control of the account.' A spokesperson for X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. The Elmo hack follows criticism toward X after its AI chatbot Grok wrote antisemitic posts, including one that praised Hitler. In a statement posted on Grok's X account last week, the company apologized 'for the horrific behavior that many experienced.' The Anti-Defamation League, a non-governmental organization that fights antisemitism, called the hack "appalling." 'It's appalling that his official X account, known for spreading kindness, was hacked yesterday solely to spread violent antisemitism,' the group wrote in a statement on Monday. 'Antisemitism on social media fosters the normalization of anti-Jewish hate online and offline, and contributes to an increasingly threatening environment for Jewish people everywhere.' The posts also come amid amid fallout over the 'Epstein files' from Trump's MAGA base, who have called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to be fired after she released a two-page memo saying that the department's review turned up no 'client list' of powerful men who allegedly participated in Epstein's schemes, and there was no 'credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.' Elmo's account has not made a post since the hacking. The character's other social media accounts do not appear to have been affected.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
PC says she 'could not walk away' from Manchester Airport suspect
Walking away from a violent suspect at Manchester Airport was "not an option", a police officer has told Cook fired her electronic stun gun at Mohammed Fahir Amaaz after the 20-year-old and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, allegedly attacked her and two of her Greater Manchester Police (GMP) trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the brothers, from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, both deny assault and claim they acted in lawful self officer Cook told jurors: "We had a violent individual in an international airport who needed to be arrested." The court heard that police entered the pay station area of Terminal 2's car park on 23 July 2024 after receiving reports that a man - fitting Mr Amaaz's description - had headbutted a member of the public in a Starbucks cafe in the airport's Arrivals Cook, who joined GMP in July 2018 and qualified as authorised firearms officer in May 2024, told the court: "It was very clear what we were going to do."I didn't want to give him a chance of using violence against myself or my colleagues or any other members of the public."She said that when she saw her fellow firearms officer Zachary Marsden holding the suspect's left arm, she took his right arm with unarmed PC Lydia Cook said she saw Mr Amaad try to punch PC Marsden who in turn tried to "deliver a strike to Mr Amaad to try to get him off - it looked like he missed".She said that as she tussled with Mr Amaad she was kicked in the leg, punched on the side of the head and punched again, with her police cap being knocked off. 'Powerful punch' PC Cook added: "I have never felt a punch like it... it made me stumble slightly and made my vision go quite blurry for about a second."The court heard that when she regained her vision she said she saw Mr Amaaz knock PC Ward to the floor with a single punch."I didn't know what we dealing with," said PC Cook."We were in a bad place and I didn't know what was going to happen next."Jurors heard she was punched several times and knocked to the Cook said she knew "physical restraint was not going to be able to detain him".Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, asked her: "An option would have been to just walk away, wouldn't it?"She replied: "That was not an option to walk away from such a violent individual at that point. "I joined the police to protect members of the public and if I walked away I would not have been doing my job."PC Cook said she thought there was a risk of PC Marsden losing his firearm, adding, "I didn't know why they were attacking us, whether it was to get weapons off us or whether it was just an attack." Realising she was not as strong as Mr Amaaz, PC Cook said she used her Taser to deliver an "effective shot" at the suspect, who is then said to have fallen backwards while holding on to PC of what followed, with Mr Amaaz lying on the floor, later emerged on social media and went Cook said she saw her colleague kick him but did not believe PC Marsden was aware Mr Amaaz had been shot with a stun gun due to the "loud environment and everything that was going on".She said she put her hand on PC Marsden's body armour and told him "he is on my Taser, I have got him".PC Cook said she did not witness a "stamping motion" from PC Marsden which allegedly followed the the incident, PC Cook was treated in hospital for swelling to one side of her head and jaw trial continues. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Mass protests planned in London and Windsor for Trump's state visit
Anti-Trump campaigners are to stage a mass demonstration in central London on the first day of the US president's state visit to the UK. The Stop Trump Coalition is also planning further protests, including one near Windsor Castle, during Donald Trump's high profile trip in two months' time. Buckingham Palace confirmed on Monday that the King is to host the controversial American leader at the Berkshire royal residence from September 17-19, when he will be feted with a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet. The trip will be Mr Trump's second state visit to the UK – an unprecedented gesture for a US president – with his last one in 2019 seeing thousands of people turn out on the streets in London in opposition. A 20ft Trump baby blimp also took to the skies above Parliament Square, just as it did during a previous visit by the billionaire-turned politician in 2018. The Stop Trump Coalition has yet to confirm whether the famous inflatable effigy, which depicts the US president as an angry baby in a nappy clutching a mobile phone, will make a reappearance, but urged people to 'keep your eyes on the skies'. The original was donated to the Museum of London in 2021. Other inventive creations by protesters in 2019 included a 16ft talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a gold toilet, which said the phrases 'No collusion', 'You are fake news' and 'I'm a very stable genius' in audio of Mr Trump's own voice; and Handmaids Against Trump – women draped in red with white hoods in homage to Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel about a crackdown on reproductive rights. On September 17 – the first day of Mr Trump's visit – demonstrators will assemble at London's Embankment at 2pm and march to a 5pm rally at an as-yet-undisclosed location. Further protests, including one near Windsor Castle, are set to be confirmed once more details of Mr Trump's visit is known. Security is expected to be at peak levels for the American leader, who survived an assassination attempt last year. The Stop Trump Coalition's spokesperson Seema Syeda said: 'This will be a massive protest against Trump's state visit. 'Trump and his authoritarian politics are not welcome here. Keir Starmer should not be rolling out the red carpet for Trump. 'They are already running scared. They have chosen the first possible date that stops Trump from being able to address Parliament. 'We know that Trump is deeply unpopular with the public. 'We mobilised hundreds of thousands of people against Trump during his first term, and he has only got worse since then. 'We are working at speed to bring together all the movements – for democracy, for equality, against climate change, for a free Palestine – to show our unity against Trump.' Asked about the Trump effigy, she said: 'Will Trump Baby be back? You'll have to keep your eyes on the skies.' The House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Mr Trump's visit as it will be in recess for party conference season, meaning the president will not be able to address Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did during his state visit last week. However, the House of Lords will be sitting. Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now which is part of the coalition, accused Mr Trump of being a bully and suggested there was a growing global resistance against him. 'Trump is engaged in economic warfare against both friend and foe,' he said. 'He's bullying countries, including the UK, to give in to the demands of American multinational corporations. 'And he's taking his own country down an increasingly fascist path – crushing the rights of Americans, ignoring the courts, threatening the media and universities.' Mr Dearden added: 'Why on earth would we want to accord this man a second state visit? 78% of Britons have a negative view of Trump, and with good reason. 'If Starmer won't stand up to Trump, we will – by taking to the streets as part of the growing global resistance against Trump and the oligarchs that surround him.'
