Thirteen people arrested following anti-migrant riots in southern Spain
By Friday groups armed with batons could be seen roaming the streets of Torre Pacheco. One far-right group called "Deport Them Now" called for attacks on people of North African origin. Further messages on social media have called for renewed attacks on immigrants over three days this week.The 68-year-old victim, named locally as Domingo Tomás Domínguez, told Spanish media he was thrown to the ground and hit while taking his morning walk.A photo circulating on social media showed his face bearing extensive bruising. Police said the motive for the attack was unclear. Mr Domínguez said he was not asked to hand over money or his belongings and did not understand the language his attackers were speaking.Police presence has been beefed up, with more than 130 officers from both the local police in the province of Murcia and Guardia Civil.The three people arrested on suspicion of attacking the pensioner are all of Moroccan origin and in their early 20s, according to Spanish media, and none are residents of Torre Pacheco.One of the suspects was arrested on Monday as he prepared to take a train from the Basque region to cross the border to France.
The worst of the unrest occurred at the weekend, when groups of youths - some hooded - attacked vehicles and businesses. Clashes were also reported between far-right groups and people of North African origin.On Sunday night journalists witnessed several dozen youths hurling glass bottles and other objects at riot police. In a CCTV video shared by several Spanish outlets, a group of men, some armed with bats and sticks, could be seen vandalising a kebab shop on the same night.Torre Pacheco mayor Pedro Ángel Roca called on the "migrant community not to leave their homes and not to confront rioters".Many of the town's residents of migrant origin work in the area's booming agricultural sector, and some have complained of no longer feeling safe in the town. The mayor said they had been living in Torre Pachecho for more than 20 years.Users of an extreme-right Telegram group reportedly called on people to flock in from other parts of Spain and take part in "hunts" of North Africans over three days this week. Their channel has since been shut down.Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska attributed the violence to anti-immigration rhetoric from far-right groups and parties such as Vox - Spain's third largest political force.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal denied responsibility for the riots and blamed "mass immigration" policies for allowing the alleged perpetrators of last week's attack to enter the country. Talking about migration, Abascal said: "It has stolen our borders, it has stolen our peace, and it has stolen our prosperity."Murcia prosecutors have opened an investigstion for hate crimes into the regional president of Vox, José Ángel Antelo, who last week said the violence was the "fault" of Spain's two main parties - the Popular Party (PP) and Socialist Party (PSOE). Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X: "What we are seeing in Torre-Pacheco challenges us all. We must speak out, act firmly, and defend the values that unite us. Spain is a country of rights, not hate."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
5 hours ago
- Times
Golden visas can be a force for good if they create jobs
Golden visas have long been viewed with a mix of admiration and suspicion. Admiration for how they invite capital and talent into countries eager for investment; suspicion for how they've sometimes allowed bad actors to gain residency with minimal scrutiny. Donald Trump's proposed 'Trump Card' is proving to be polarising. If it goes ahead as planned, it would offer a fast track to legal status for wealthy immigrants investing $5 million and exempt card holders from federal income tax on foreign earnings. Colloquially known as a golden visa, these programs are more correctly referred to as 'residency by investment' visas. In simple terms, if one invests enough in an economy, they are offered a residency visa. The theory is that the investment will lead to greater economic output and more jobs — and the impact on the economy and standard of living in that country will be positive. • The end of Spain's golden visa: winners, losers and how to move now Golden visas can deliver meaningful benefits to countries, economies and citizens if administered correctly. I advise people on how to get a visa in New Zealand through my company Greener Pastures New Zealand, and the visa program there requires applicants to directly invest in New Zealand-managed funds or operating businesses. This is not a buy-a-passport scheme; it's an invitation to help to build a country that prizes innovation, transparency and long-term growth. • Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement We work directly with high-net-worth individuals and families navigating this new landscape. We've seen growing demand from British and American citizens seeking not only lifestyle and economic opportunity, but geopolitical stability and alignment with their values. In today's world, people are looking for lifestyle, safety, political and economic stability. Much like diversifying one's investment portfolio, obtaining dual residency is a valid way to manage risk. Demand for these visas is increasing worldwide. It is estimated that more than 120,000 golden visas are issued annually globally and that number is rising. Theory does not always match reality, however. Around the world we have seen examples of governments that have administered the visa in a way that seeks to maximise the total investment balances raised, with little benefit. Examples of this include allowing the visa applicant to place funds in fixed-term deposits, or government bonds. Is the investment valid? Yes. Has the investment helped improve the economy and create jobs? No. • Spain doesn't want you? Here are the overseas places to buy a home in 2025 Any world leader looking at drawing up a golden visa programme should be asking themselves whether it aligns with national priorities. It shouldn't be about selling access, but encouraging investments that create jobs and drive innovation. The best programmes ask what the investor can do and whether the country fits them long term, rather than simply 'selling' a visa. Governments must design programmes built for permanence, not loopholes. Doing so allows the visa to be mutually beneficial for both the applicant and the offering country. The result is a visa that serves the nation. Dominic Jones is managing director of Greener Pastures New Zealand, a residency through investment adviser
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Low turnout in Togo municipal elections seen as test for the country's president
Togolese voters went to the polls on Thursday in municipal elections seen as a test for the country's leader Faure Gnassingbé, who has faced rare and deadly protests after a recent constitutional reform that could effectively keep him in power indefinitely. Polling stations remained largely deserted in Togo's capital, Lomé, reflecting widespread voter apathy and fear following the crackdown on anti-government protests that left several people dead in June. Gnassingbé, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father and predecessor as president, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, was sworn in as president of the Council of Ministers in May. The powerful role has no official term limits and he is eligible to be reelected by Parliament indefinitely. Diaspora-based social media influencers and civil society groups had called for a boycott of the elections, the first national vote organized since the constitutional reform. They argued that the current electoral system lacks credibility and that the recent repression has silenced dissenting voices. Police and military patrols were stationed at major intersections throughout Lomé, reinforcing a heavy security presence that many residents said contributed to the atmosphere of unease. 'I've been voting since 1998, but this year is nothing like the others,' Sémon Aboudou said outside a nearly empty voting center in the Bè neighborhood, considered an opposition stronghold. 'Even in 2019, there was more enthusiasm. Now people don't see any change coming.' 'People are afraid — afraid of being attacked by protesters for legitimizing these elections, or afraid of being dispersed by security forces,' said Edem Adjaklo, a voter in the Gakli neighborhood. 'They feel it's pointless to vote because the results are always the same — predetermined.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
White House rips into 'fake' NBC News report that Trump only 'obliterated' one of three Iran nuclear targets
The White House is dumping all over another new report that the U.S. attack on Iran 's nuclear facilities last month only severely damaged one of the three targets. President Donald Trump has said repeatedly that the attack 'totally obliterated' targets, which include the Natanz enrichment facility that features centrifuges buried deep underground – language that his team stands by. 'As the President has said and experts have verified, Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran's nuclear capabilities,' White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Daily Mail in response to an explosive report by NBC News. 'America and the world are safer, thanks to his decisive action,' she said. The Pentagon joined in, blasting the 'Fake News Media' in a statement following an explosive new report by That report said one of the three sites, was mostly destroyed. But two others had only be 'degraded' to a condition where nuclear enrichment might be able to resume in the next few months. The attacks, carried about by U.S. B-2 bombers taking off from Missouri, hit the Iranian sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The report citing unnamed current and former officials stating the attack on Fordow as being the most successful. There was less certainty about whether the attack using GBU-57 'bunker buster' bombs was able to take out the other facilities. The ability to use those munitions were a driving force for the U.S. to enter the conflict, after Israel had already begun its own campaign against Iranian sites and nuclear scientists. According to the NBC account, based on five current and former U.S. officials, the U.S. military was not able to finish the job at the bunkers deep within the Natanz facility or the tunnels at Isfahan. In an unusual effort to rebut the story, the White House provided details of a closed-door briefing that CIA Director John Ratcliffe provided to lawmakers. He told them the nuclear program was 'severely damaged' and that multiple facilities were 'completely destroyed,' notably refraining from parroting the White House's own characterization of total obliteration. The White House official said Ratcliffe told lawmakers a metal conversion facility at Natanz, in north central Iran, would take 'years to rebuilt.' The Pentagon provided its own pushback, with Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell arguing in one breath that the facilities are 'destroyed ... and will take years to recover' and in the next, doubling down on the commander in chief's more definitive description. 'Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz were completely and totally obliterated. There is no doubt about that,' he said. The Daily Mail is seeking additional comment from the White House about the condition of facilities as Natanz and Isfahan. The White House also batted back initial assessments in the immediate aftermath of the attack, and Trump hammered media outlets who reported on them, without denying the veracity of the early accounts. Trump characterized the reports as attacks on the pilots who bravely carried out the mission. Trump is standing by his narrative of success, just this week telling attendees at a faith event that he ordered a surprise two-week pause before the attack in response to reporting by CNN that an attack could be imminent. Trump revealed new details about the mission, highlighting that 52 gasoline tankers supported the operation with flawless in-flight refueling. No damage or mechanical issues occurred to any plane over 37 hours and 40 minutes in challenging territory. NBC reported that U.S. Central Command had prepared a multi-week campaign targeting three additional sites, but Trump opted for a single, focused mission, rejecting the extended plan to avoid escalating the conflict. The debate over the effectiveness of the operation reflects wider uncertainties about both the resilience of Iran's nuclear infrastructure and the challenges of verifying a secretive adversary thousands of miles away. It may be months or years before any reputable actor or entity can sufficiently address the unresolved questions surrounding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
