afrol News - African immigrants arrested in Spain

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Africa | World
Politics | Human rights | Society
African immigrants arrested in Spain

afrol News, 8 September - At least eight African immigrants were arrested in Spain after weekend riots erupted in a southern town, where a Senegalese man was fatally stabbed.

Spanish police have announced today that rampage began early on Sunday, with houses and cars set alight.

Four of arrested men, two from Senegal and two from Guinea Bissau, were detained on Sunday evening, after renewed outbreak of violence in Roquetas de March.

After the 28-year-old man was killed in a fight in Roquetas de Mar, an angry gathering "degenerated into violence and public disorder", a police statement said.

On Saturday a number of Sub-Saharan immigrants reportedly vandalised property, burnt rubbish bins and threw stones and bottles at police after the Senegalese man was killed.

Officials linked killing to a dispute between drug traffickers, but residents maintained that victim was trying to stop a dispute between Senegalese and Roma (Gypsy) families in the area.

According to police, rioters set fire to two homes of relatives of man suspected of killing, adding that rioters also attacked firefighters with stones, and clashed with police.

Migrants reportedly stoned ambulance that came to attend to stabbed victim before setting up burning barricades and attacking shops.

Reports further show that several people were injured by rubber bullets fired by police. Police officers were also reportedly stoned and slightly injured during the chaos that ensued.

Tensioned reigned today in Roquetas de Mar, after immigrants rioted for second consecutive night, reports said.

Police said they did not know what led to the attack, but they were looking for a local man.

Roquetas de Mar has a large population of immigrants employed at vegetable hothouses.

"The riots were not caused by xenophobia, but "complicated situation" in neighbourhood, where both migrants and Spaniards lived in poverty, according to representatives of organisation Andalucia Acoge, which works to help immigrants.