Spanish police have arrested eight individuals following a third consecutive night of violent unrest in Torre-Pacheco, Murcia, where far-right activists clashed with members of the North African migrant community.
The disturbances, which began after the alleged assault of an 82-year-old Spanish man earlier this week, have seen masked demonstrators throwing objects, burning rubbish containers, and confronting both residents and the authorities. In response, the Guardia Civil and riot police were deployed to restore order, using rubber bullets and crowd-control barriers to disperse groups gathering near the town centre.
The eight arrests include individuals from both sides of the confrontation, with charges ranging from public disorder and assaulting police officers to illegal possession of weapons. No serious injuries have been reported, though several officers were treated for minor bruises and heat exhaustion.
The unrest in Torre-Pacheco, a major agricultural town with a large migrant workforce, has reignited national debate over integration, rural security, and rising xenophobia, particularly in areas where economic hardship and population decline have fuelled social tensions.
Local authorities, including the mayor and regional representatives, have called for calm and rejected what they describe as politically motivated agitation by far-right extremists, many of whom are not from the area. They also urged residents not to fall victim to online disinformation, as social media continues to circulate unverified claims about migrant crime.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that monitoring and reinforcements remain in place, and that community outreach teams are being mobilised to help defuse tensions.
Meanwhile, several civil society organisations have condemned the violence and called for renewed efforts at community dialogue and fact-based reporting, warning that scapegoating migrants for isolated criminal incidents undermines social cohesion and fuels hatred.
This marks the most serious public order incident in Torre-Pacheco in over a decade, with authorities now reviewing whether additional security measures or curfews may be necessary if unrest resumes.
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