Statement by Fundación Secretariado Gitano following the serious violent and xenophobic acts that took place in Torre-Pacheco [editar]

The Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) wishes to express its strongest condemnation of the violent, racist, and xenophobic acts that took place in Torre-Pacheco (Murcia region, Spain) in recent days.

On Wednesday, 9 July, a 68-year-old resident was brutally assaulted by three young men, allegedly of North African origin. We deeply regret this incident and hope that it will be dealt with by the courts. However, there can be no justification for the wave of racist and xenophobic violence that followed.

In the days that followed, there were calls for a “hunt” for migrants, inciting the commission of hate crimes. For at least three consecutive nights since 11 July, there have been organized attacks that have included throwing stones, flares, burning containers, and physical assaults on migrants. These are, in short, violent attacks in which the victims are selected solely and exclusively because of their migrant origin.

These violent acts are creating an atmosphere of fear and stigmatization towards the migrant community, most of whom are agricultural workers and have been residents of Torre-Pacheco for years. The population is living in distress, with businesses closed out of fear and streets empty after dark.

The FSG would like to remind everyone that singling out and attributing to an entire community an isolated criminal act allegedly committed by some of its members is a clear form of racism or xenophobia that has been repeated many times throughout history; unfortunately, the Roma have also had to face this. This is even more serious when it also generates extreme violence such as we are witnessing in Torre-Pacheco.

For all these reasons, in addition to condemning these acts, we make a loud and clear call to:

• The State Security Forces and Corps, to take all necessary measures to suppress these acts and protect the victims.
• The Public Prosecutor's Office and the Courts, to promote the investigation of the facts, the proportional punishment of the guilty parties, and due reparation for the victims.
• The media, to report objectively on this situation and not contribute to the stigmatization or criminalization of migrants.
• Political representatives and public institutions, to clearly condemn these acts and promote respect for human rights, peaceful coexistence, and interculturalism.
• Victims, to use the care and protection resources available to them, such as the service of the Council for the Elimination of Racial or Ethnic Discrimination, which we coordinate at the FSG and provide together with seven other NGOs.
• This service is free of charge in Spain and can be accessed, regardless of immigration status, by calling 021 any day of the year from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Society as a whole to denounce hatred, educate on equality, and build bridges of coexistence. In a pluralistic democracy such as Spain's, no one can be persecuted because of their origin.