logo
Several people injured in second night of anti-migrant unrest in Spanish town

Several people injured in second night of anti-migrant unrest in Spanish town

The Guardian10 hours ago
Several people were hurt in a second night of anti-migrant unrest in the town of Torre Pacheco in south-east Spain after a pensioner was beaten up, authorities said.
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.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Two women shot dead at Kentucky church
Two women shot dead at Kentucky church

BBC News

time31 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Two women shot dead at Kentucky church

Two people have been fatally shot at a church in Kentucky by a gunman who had just shot a police officer nearby, officials women, aged 72 and 32, died in Sunday's attack at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, and two male parishioners were injured, said believe the suspect, who was shot dead by police, had a connection to individuals at the Police said the wounded trooper was receiving medical treatment. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear offered his condolences on social media, and said "violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country". The initial shooting occurred at 11:36 local time (15:36 GMT) on Terminal Drive near the Blue Grass Airport, a regional hub in Fayette County, when a state trooper was shot by the Police said the trooper was "in stable condition receiving medical treatment". This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Anger turns towards Washington in West Bank town mourning two men killed by settlers
Anger turns towards Washington in West Bank town mourning two men killed by settlers

Reuters

time2 hours ago

  • Reuters

Anger turns towards Washington in West Bank town mourning two men killed by settlers

AL-MAZRA'A ASH-SHARQIYA, West Bank, July 13 (Reuters) - Frustration among Palestinians grew towards the United States on Sunday as mourners packed the roads to a cemetery in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya for the burial of two men, one of them a Palestinian American, killed by settlers. Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said Sayfollah Musallet, 21, was beaten to death, and Hussein Al-Shalabi, 23, was shot in the chest by settlers during a confrontation on Friday night. Most of the small town's roughly 3,000 residents share family ties to the United States and many hold citizenship, including Musallet, who was killed weeks after flying to visit his mother in Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya, where he travelled most summers from Tampa, Florida. "There's no accountability," said his father Kamel Musallet, who flew from the United States to bury his son. "We demand the United States government do something about it ... I don't want his death to go in vain." Israeli killings of U.S. citizens in the West Bank in recent years include those of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian American teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea and Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Friday it was aware of the latest death, but that the department had no further comment "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones" of the victim. Many family and community members said they expected more, including that the United States would spearhead an investigation into who was responsible. A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Sunday referred questions on an investigation to the Israeli government and said it "has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas." The Israeli military had earlier said Israel was probing the incident. It said confrontations between Palestinians and settlers broke out after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, lightly injuring them. Musallet's family said medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but he died before reaching the hospital. Local resident Domi, 18, who has lived in Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya for the last four years after moving back from the United States, said fears had spread in the community since Friday and his parents had discussed sending him to the United States. "If people have sons like this they are going to want to send them back to America because it's just not safe for them," he said. He had mixed feelings about returning, saying he wanted to stay near his family's land, which they had farmed for generations, and that Washington should do more to protect Palestinians in the West Bank. "It's a kind of betrayal," he said. Settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023, according to rights groups. Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian street attacks in recent years and the Israeli military has intensified raids across the West Bank. Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. U.S. President Donald Trump in January rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Malik, 18, who used to visit Musallet's ice-cream shop in Tampa and had returned to the West Bank for a few months' vacation, said his friend's death had made him question his sense of belonging. "I was born and raised in America, I only come here two months of a 12-month year, if I die like that nobody's going to be charged for my murder," he said, standing in the cemetery shortly before his friend was buried. "No one's going to be held accountable."

Jannik Sinner wins first Wimbledon title just two months after returning from drugs ban in thriller over Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner wins first Wimbledon title just two months after returning from drugs ban in thriller over Carlos Alcaraz

The Sun

time3 hours ago

  • The Sun

Jannik Sinner wins first Wimbledon title just two months after returning from drugs ban in thriller over Carlos Alcaraz

THERE was only one moment in this Wimbledon men's singles final when Jannik Sinner looked truly flustered. That was in the second set, when he had to delay a serve after almost being struck by a freshly-popped Champagne court. 7 A couple of hours later, the Veuve Clicquot was all his. As Centre Court roasted in 90-degree heat, the Italian was the coolest man in the building. In front of two future Kings of England and the current King of Spain, Sinner dethroned Carlos Alcaraz as he avenged last month's dramatic French Open defeat to become the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title. What it means for clean sport, who knows? Sinner failed a drug test last year and should surely not have been playing here. Yet his rivalry with Alcaraz is such an absorbing one that tennis chiefs allowed him to escape with slapped wrists - a three-month suspension which included none of the Grand Slams. A Sinner by name and my nature then - and yet here is Sinner's wages were £3million. A grubby backroom deal, and the sacking of a physio, had allowed the Italian book himself a brief ban after testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol, which he claims entered his body via massages. Still, whatever the ethics, his rivalry with Alcaraz is compelling. Having blown a two-set lead and three championship points at Roland Garros, this time Sinner roared back from a set-down to secure a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory. This was the first Wimbledon men's singles final since 2002 to include none of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal or Andy Murray - there has been a generation shift in the sport over the last two years and these two 21st-century boys are ahead of the rest by a country mile. After squandering a 4-2 lead in the opening set, Sinner was imperious thereafter as he seal a fourth Grand Slam title since the start of last year. Sinner, who speaks German as his first language, was impressively efficient as Alcaraz turned ragged in the sweltering heat. After that epic five-and-a-half hour saga at Roland Garros, where Alcaraz staged one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time, All England Club chiefs were taking a risk by moving the start time back until 4pm. Then the over-running women's doubles final shunted it back further still. But in front of tennis royalty and actual royalty, the two finest tennis players on the planet strode on to Centre Court at ten past four for the climax of a sun-baked fortnight. In the intense heat, thousands of fans fluttered thousands of fans, Centre Court resembling a butterfly sanctuary. Both men had arrived with their bazookas - amid a barrage of big serves early on, Alcaraz delivered a 139mph ace, the fastest he'd ever clocked at a Slam. 7 7 Yet in the fifth game, Sinner reeled off four points in a row to break Alcaraz from 40-15 down, the champion going long with a forehand to hand Sinner the Soon, though, Alcaraz was back on terms. After one marathon rally which threatened the neck muscles of every side-on spectator, the Spaniard forced two break points and needed only one to tie it at 4-4. Alcaraz backed that up by holding with a 140mph ace which scattered the chalkdust. Suddenly the champion was all over his rival and he reeled off a fourth consecutive game to break Sinner for the opening set. At deuce, the Italian threw in a double fault, then Alcaraz concluded a stunning rally with a backhand winner from the baseline and cupped his ears to take in the roars. It would prove premature. Smarting, Sinner forced three break points at the start of the second - taking the third when Alcaraz sent a forehand long. The quality was ridiculous, Alcaraz fizzing a backhand cross-court to put immediate pressure on the Sinner serve but the wiry world No 1 held. Sinner was forced to delay his serve when he was almost struck by a freshly-popped champagne cork. Even the missiles are posh here, and we were sipping from the lumpy end of the wine list both on and off the court. As Sinner served for the second set, he raised the roof with a cross-court winner at the net, then a thunderclap forehand down the line earned two set points, the first one taken with a flourish. 7 The Italian was operating a scorched-turf policy now, giving the world's most famous lawn a serious pummelling. Alcaraz was wristy, searching for the angles, but struggling for consistency. The champion rescued two break points at the start of the third, clinging on in there. Sinner turned to improv, dinking over the net from between his legs, then duffing the volley that would have made it count - yet he thrashed an ace to hold for 3-3. Alcaraz, emerging from a lull, lobbed his man with a dramatic arc, yet Sinner got out the big gun again and aced for 4-4. Then Alcaraz got sloppy and slippy, Sinner breaking as the Spaniard fell on the baseline and Sinner was serving for the set - which he managed, successfully, despite a double fault. The momentum was fully with Sinner now and he nailed two backhands down the line to break for 2-1 - just four games from glory. At 4-3, Sinner cleared the baseline to concede two break points but saved both and eventually held. Then as the Centre Court crowd chanted his name, Sinner served out nervelessly - securing three Championship points after a thrilling rally, taking the second and holding his arms aloft before he headed for some of that bubbly. 7

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store