More arrests and unrest in Torre Pacheco as disturbances continue
The street violence is still ongoing in the Mar Menor town, albeit on a smaller scale now
The situation continues to be tense in Torre Pacheco, where far-right agitators are still travelling to the normally quiet Mar Menor town to – in their words – “hunt down” immigrants.
A demonstration held this Tuesday evening, July 15, by far-right groups, including Desokupa and Deport Them Now Spain, attracted around 100 people, mostly from outside the municipality, with a heavy Guardia Civil presence deployed to contain tensions.
The unrest follows an incident last Wednesday July 9 in which an elderly local man named Domingo was assaulted by a 19-year-old Moroccan youth, who has since been arrested and jailed.
Though the youth was not a resident of Torre Pacheco, the incident has been seized upon by extremist groups to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment and mobilise confrontational action in the town.
The episode has thrust Torre Pacheco into the national and international spotlight after a wave of xenophobic incidents over the last few nights, and which have led to no fewer than 14 arrests being made in total.
In the lead-up to this Tuesday’s demonstration, the Guardia Civil expelled the leader of Desokupa and social media agitator Vito Quiles from Torre Pacheco citing public safety concerns.
Meanwhile, the leader of Deport Them Now Spain, who had been actively inciting violence through a Telegram channel with regional branches across Spain, was arrested in Barcelona for incitement to hatred.
The now-deactivated Telegram channel had shared lists, photos and addresses of supposed irregular immigrants, alongside racist propaganda and neo-Nazi imagery.
One post explicitly called for a coordinated “hunt” on July 15, 16 and 17, sparking fears among residents that there could be more violence in the coming few days, and prompting national authorities to intervene.
Deport Them Now, a group which ironically has an English name despite supporting a return to traditional Spanish culture in Spain, is an organised rightwing anti-immigrant network that works closely with other far-right groups across Europe and has several ‘chapters’.
This Tuesday’s protest, which had been officially called off by Desokupa, went ahead regardless, drawing fringe groups such as the Frente Obrero and other neo-Nazi sympathisers.
Dressed in black, some with their faces covered, participants played the Franco-era national anthem over loudspeakers and chanted slogans including personal insults against President Pedro Sánchez.
While most of the protesters were not from Torre Pacheco, a small group of local residents did join. Tensions escalated further when journalists from Televisión Española were harassed and threatened by demonstrators.
Guardia Civil riot units were dispatched to disperse crowds and prevent further violence, including the removal of two North African men who appeared at the edge of the protest and were quickly escorted away to avoid confrontation.
Many residents expressed shock at the influx of unfamiliar and radicalised individuals. “These people have come from outside; I’ve never seen them before,” commented one local observing the protest from a distance.
The incidents have remained largely contained to the barrio de San Antonio neighbourhood, with nearby residential areas and resorts such as Mar Menor Golf Resort and La Torre Golf Resort unaffected. However, the government has expressed concern that the unrest could spread to other towns if not swiftly and decisively addressed.
Mariola Guevara, the government delegate in the Region of Murcia, confirmed that authorities were monitoring online activity and local developments closely.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” she said, warning that imported extremism and digitally coordinated actions posed a real threat to public order.
The situation remains tense but under control, with Torre Pacheco now under close surveillance as officials seek to prevent any further outbreaks of hate-fuelled violence.
Image: Ayuntamiento de Torre Pacheco
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