Anti-migrant demonstrations erupt in Spain
(MENAFN) Violent protests broke out in Spain on Friday night following the arrest of a Malian migrant accused of raping a young woman near a migrant center in Alcalá de Henares, a suburb of Madrid. The unrest erupted after police detained a 21-year-old asylum seeker in connection with the alleged assault of a Spanish woman of the same age. Authorities say the victim was beaten and raped, and the suspect—identified through surveillance footage—has been placed in provisional custody without bail.
Roughly 300 demonstrators gathered outside the migrant facility, which houses around 2,000 people, demanding its closure and stricter immigration policies. Protesters held banners denouncing what they called “uncontrolled” immigration, with slogans like “Intruders, get out!” Many also voiced anger at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, accusing him of enabling migration-related violence.
Tensions escalated after far-right groups such as Nucleo Nacional and Democracia Nacional joined the protest. Videos from the scene showed violent clashes, with police using batons and firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
A similar protest held earlier in the week also turned confrontational, resulting in at least four arrests. Organizers have called for another demonstration on Saturday.
Judith Piquet, the mayor of Alcalá de Henares, has called for the center’s closure. She criticized the national government for establishing the facility without consulting local authorities or assessing its impact on the community. Piquet cited concerns over overcrowding, lack of security, and inadequate integration programs, saying the center has contributed to a growing sense of disorder in the area. She also called on the government to bolster security at all migrant facilities nationwide.
The protests come amid broader tensions across the European Union over migration, an issue that has persisted since the 2015 refugee crisis. While some EU nations have tightened border controls and immigration laws in response to rising migrant-related crime, Spain has maintained a more open stance. Prime Minister Sanchez views immigration as vital for addressing labor shortages and supporting the welfare system. He has advocated for the EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum, which aims to distribute asylum seekers more evenly across member states and penalize those that refuse participation.
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