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Latest political news, live | Police and Civil Guard secure Torre Pacheco to prevent incidents due to the ultra-right threat

Tuesday, July 15


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More than 100 Civil Guard and Local Police officers secured access to Torre Pacheco on Tuesday ahead of the start of an unlicensed far-right demonstration at 8:00 p.m. Around 100 people are demonstrating in the Town Hall square, encouraged by far-right groups, while officers have seized pepper spray canisters and escorted the leader of Desokupa, Dani Esteve, out of the town, along with other members of the far-right organization. Shouts of"Pedro Sánchez, son of a bitch" and "we are Spanish" can be heard. Sources from the Ministry of the Interior have reported the deployment of another 40 Civil Guard officers, bringing the number of officers in the area to 130. In addition, the armed forces arrested C. L. F. in Mataró (Barcelona), accused of being the person who"exercises leadership roles within the xenophobic supremacist movement Deport Them Now UE," the group that has been promoting the "hunt" online in recent days. The detainee is accused of inciting hatred. Officers have also identified 160 people for participating in the disturbances.

Rally in Torre Pacheco, Murcia, live
Elena Reina
Elena ReinaTorre Pacheco

Around a hundred people demonstrate at the far-right rally

At this time, around a hundred people are demonstrating, encouraged by calls from far-right groups, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Shouts of “Pedro Sánchez, son of a bitch” and “we are Spanish” can be heard. There was a tense moment at 8:12 when the crowd turned on a TVE reporter and her cameraman, at whom they threw water bottles. The demonstration has moved to the surrounding streets, although the Civil Guard is trying to prevent them from moving from a perimeter that they have reinforced in the center of Torre Pacheco.

Some leaders of this call, which did not have the permission of the Government Delegation, have made some statements and have left escorted by the Civil Guard and the Municipal Police, such as Vito Quiles' team (accompanied by at least two burly men from Murcia capital) and Daniel Esteve, the leader of Desokupa, who has not gotten out of his vehicle.

Published at: 20:18 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 20:20 CEST 15/07/2025

Elena Reina

Daniel Esteve, this Tuesday in Torre Pacheco. Alfonso Durán. / ALFONSO DURÁNDVD1275. Daniel Esteve, líder de desokupa, tras ser identificado por la Guardia Civil en Torre Pacheco. Alfonso Durán. 15/07/2025

Desokupa leader leaves Torre Pacheco after a brief appearance

After a brief appearance in Torre Pacheco, Daniel Esteve, leader of Desokupa, has left the town in an Audi with four other men. The leader of the far-right group claims that the Civil Guard took him out of the town before the gathering of far-right groups scheduled for 8:00 p.m. began. As if he were their spokesperson, far-right agitator Vito Quiles has declared before dozens of media outlets that Esteve has left the town to avoid the risks that his presence in the area could entail, although no authority has made any confirmation.

Published at: 19:41 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 19:57 CEST 15/07/2025

Sebastián Forero Elena Reina

Police and Civil Guard secure Torre Pacheco against the ultra-right threat

Shortly before the demonstration called for 8:00 p.m. begins in the center of Torre Pacheco, a device of more than 100 Civil Guard and local police officers intensified controls at the entrances to the town and in the streets surrounding the Town Hall Square, the epicenter of the demonstration. On one street, a group of five Civil Guard officers stopped a car carrying five men dressed in black at a checkpoint, searched them, and confiscated pepper spray canisters. They then allowed them to continue on their way. At another point in the town, at the entrance to the San Antonio neighborhood—where mainly immigrants live—a solid police cordon blocks the way.

Police sources confirm that they have tried in every way to prevent the demonstration from taking place. It did not have a permit, but it was still scheduled for 8:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Square. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled time, there were more media than protesting residents. Published at: 19:40 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 19:50 CEST 15/07/2025

El País

The Country

Civil Guard identifying ultras on the night of June 13 in Torre Pacheco. Photo: Alfonso Durán. / ALFONSO DURANGuardia Civil identificando a ultras en la noche del 13 de junio en Torre Pacheco. Foto: Alfonso Durán.

Extension | A suspected leader of the xenophobic platform that encourages the "hunt" of North Africans in Torre Pacheco has been arrested in Mataró.

The Civil Guard arrested C. L. F. this Monday afternoon in Mataró (Barcelona), accused of being one of the people who"exercise leadership roles within the xenophobic supremacist movement Deport Them Now UE," the platform that has encouraged the "hunt" against the North African community in Torre Pacheco (Murcia) over the internet in recent days, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The detainee is accused of an alleged crime of inciting hatred. The chat on the instant messaging application Telegram used to distribute the statement urging attacks on migrants—and which was still active on Tuesday—has finally been closed, adds the Interior Ministry. During the search of the detainee's home, officers seized two computers that will be analyzed for new evidence against him. The investigation is being coordinated by Investigative Court No. 4 of San Javier (Murcia) and the Delegate Prosecutor's Office for Hate Crimes in this autonomous community.

Published at: 19:30 CEST 15/07/2025

130 Civil Guards deployed to prevent further riots in Torre Pacheco

The Civil Guard has added an additional 40 officers to the force deployed in Torre Pacheco (Murcia) to prevent further riots, bringing the total to 130, according to sources from the Ministry of the Interior. Many of them are officers from the Command's Citizen Security Unit and the Reserve and Security Groups of the armed institute, although investigators from the Judicial Police Unit and the Intelligence Service are also participating in the operation. The latter are the ones who have managed to identify and arrest in Mataró (Barcelona) one of the alleged leaders of Deport Them Now (DTN, deport them now), the platform that issued the statement last Sunday encouraging the"hunt" for North Africans in the town after the attack on a sixty-year-old that started the riots. In this statement, DTN openly called for xenophobic attacks this Tuesday and the next two days with a radical message unprecedented in Spain. Interior sources detail that so far, security forces have made 14 arrests related to the disturbances in the Murcia town, including the three alleged perpetrators of the attack on the sixty-year-old who sparked the riots. Officers have also identified 160 other alleged participants in the disturbances. Published at: 18:29 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 18:43 CEST 15/07/2025

Junts announces it will vote against the regional financing agreed between the Government and the Generalitat

The secretary general of Junts, Jordi Turull, has ruled out supporting the financing agreement arising from the bilateral Government-Generalitat commission when it reaches Congress:"If what happened yesterday translates into a document that is in Congress and has to be voted on, we cannot vote on it under any circumstances." Junts had already denounced the content of the agreement on Monday.

"This is not about presenting an amendment to clarify things and see if we can fix it. What happened yesterday does not fix anything regarding the fiscal plunder," the secretary general lamented on TV3, where he also stated that the document does not respond to the investiture agreement between ERC and the PSC to invest Salvador Illa as president of the Generalitat."I think what happened yesterday was a complete joke. It's the paradigm that shows that the PSC will never do anything that bothers the PSOE," he stressed. Published at: 17:00 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 17:10 CEST 15/07/2025

Elsa García de Blas

Elsa García de Blas, Political Journalist

Participants in the riots in Torre Pacheco (Murcia), early Monday morning. / Violeta Santos Moura / REUTERSPeople gather on a street, amid anti-migrant unrest following an attack on an elderly man by unknown assailants earlier in the week, in Torre Pacheco, Spain, July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
Feijóo attacks immigrants who “break the law” and those who take justice into their own hands. The leader of the People’s Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has released a recorded message about the violent incidents in Torre Pacheco (Murcia) in which he attacks immigrants who break the rules and those who take justice into their own hands by calling for a hunt for migrants. Feijóo addressed both sides, but first and foremost in his speech was immigrants who break the law. “I condemn all forms of violence, regardless of who commits it,” the PP leader states in the video recorded and sent to the media by the PP. “Those who have crossed our borders to break the law do not represent us. Neither do those who break it and were born here,” he points out. “We demand respect and integration from immigrants living in Spain. The majority already comply; those who don’t should know that they are not welcome,” the PP leader emphasizes, adding: “To those who are calling for breaking the law under the false pretext of taking justice into their own hands, we say that enough is enough. Crime is not fought with more crime.” Feijóo criticizes the government for “having renounced exercising the authority of the state” in the Murcia town and proclaims that “it has failed in its first duty, which is to protect coexistence.” Published at: 15:22 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 15:41 CEST 15/07/2025

El PaísMadrid

The alleged leader of the xenophobic movement Deport Them Now UE, which encourages the"hunt" against North Africans in Torre Pacheco, arrested in Mataró

This afternoon, the Civil Guard arrested C. L. F. in Mataró (Barcelona). He is accused of being the person who"exercises leadership roles within the xenophobic supremacist movement Deport Them Now UE", the group that has been encouraging the"hunt" against North Africans in Torre Pacheco (Murcia) over the internet in recent days, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The detainee is accused of the alleged crime of inciting hatred. The chat on the Telegram instant messaging app used to spread the statement instigating attacks on migrants—and which was still operational on Tuesday—has been closed, the Interior Ministry adds.

Armed force officers searched the arrested person's home, seizing two computers that will be analyzed for new evidence against him. The investigations are being coordinated by Investigative Court No. 4 of San Javier (Murcia) and the Delegate Prosecutor's Office for Hate Crimes in this autonomous community.

Published at: 15:18 CEST 15/07/2025

The Government assures that the principle of ordinality is guaranteed in the financing agreement 

Salvador Illa's Government considers that the principle of ordinality is"guaranteed" in the agreement for the new financing agreed between the Government and the Generalitat. After the meeting of the Executive Council, the spokesperson for the government, Sílvia Paneque, emphasized that we have moved from an agreement between parties to institutions and that the president himself considers the application of this principle essential. The Government wants ordinality to be preserved, that is, that Catalonia not be the third community to contribute income to the common fund and then drop to tenth place after receiving it so that the agreement is not, they say,"distorted." This principle is included in the preamble of the signed document on bilaterality and not in the operative section."The principle of ordinality, in which you give orders with respect to the other autonomous communities, requires work by the Government of Spain on how this principle is ensured and defined and therefore, it is not a matter of between governments but how it is defined and of negotiation with respect to other autonomous communities," Paneque stated."And that is why it could not be determined and is included in the preamble. Catalonia is determined that (ordinality) be fulfilled because if not, it is distorted and what has happened to us could happen: generating a certain wealth, the resources that came in caused us to fall in positions and there was an imbalance for the policies we had to implement in Catalonia." The minister clarified that now the methodology and how it is calculated must be specified. Published at: 14:39 CEST 15/07/2025

Paula Chouza
Paula ChouzaMadrid

Alegría defends that the agreement with Catalonia can be “extrapolated” to any autonomous community

“What was discussed and worked on yesterday with Catalonia is an agreement that can be extrapolated to any autonomous community,” argued government spokesperson Pilar Alegría at the press conference following the Council of Ministers. In the face of criticism from the PP and also from PSOE barons such as Emiliano García-Page, the minister maintained that as long as there is a “progressive” Executive, “one territory will not be privileged over another.” Alegría pointed out that over the last seven years, all autonomous communities have received 47% more than under Mariano Rajoy's government and that they are calling for a debate on the reform of the financing model, which the absolute majorities of the Popular Party (PP) did not put on the table.

The spokesperson reiterated that the agreement with Catalonia is based on the principles of financial sufficiency (more resources for the regions), solidarity, fiscal co-responsibility (in spending and revenue), and a bilateral approach that is compatible with multilateralism."The formula is applicable to all regions," she insisted before asking the PP, in addition to criticizing the government, to explain"what its model is," whether it is the dispersion advocated by Alberto Núñez Feijóo when he was president of the Xunta (Xunta), or one that weighs GDP, as Isabel Díaz Ayuso prefers."The time has come for them to propose a model and a serious proposal that goes beyond commonplaces," Alegría concluded. The minister has confirmed that this afternoon, following Sánchez's meeting with Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, the head of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, will appear. At this meeting, the two leaders will address outstanding issues from the agreement reached between the PSOE and PNV for the president's investiture, such as the transfer of Social Security, which also includes passive employment policies (unemployment benefits), and completing the functions of the Labor Inspectorate. Published at: 14:12 CEST 15/07/2025

The BNG demands that Rueda negotiate like Catalonia and the Basque Country so that Galicia benefits from new financing

The BNG spokesperson for the Treasury, Noa Presas, called on the president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, to urgently and bilaterally negotiate with the State a new financing model “tailored to the interests of the Galicians, a system that allows Galicia to have the key to its money to improve education, healthcare or the dependency system.” The BNG estimates that the Xunta has lost €18 billion since 2009 and argues that this is why it is necessary to commit to a decentralized system in which Galicians hold the key to their money. Presa declared:"If we want the country to win, the Xunta cannot waste another minute with a president submissive to the orders given to him from Genoa."

The BNG representative emphasized: "The Xunta cannot waste another minute submissive to the interests of the PP in Madrid. The Basque Country already has a quota, Catalonia is making progress in the negotiation of its own model, and Galicia cannot be left behind." Presas considered that the announcement made by the central government and Catalonia "represents an opportunity that Galicia must seize because it opens up real negotiations toward a new, more decentralized financing model with greater self-government." The BNG (National Central Government) is also demanding a system of economic cooperation that allows the Xunta (Government of Galicia) to collect all taxes, with full decision-making power in fiscal matters and a fully-functioning Galician Treasury. The BNG deputy emphasized that with the current financing system, signed"in Feijóo's own hand" in 2009, Galicia"has fared poorly," as confirmed in a "compelling report" by the Court of Auditors, which estimated the loss of resources since that year at more than €18 billion. She added that this represents €1.535 billion each year,"more than the Xunta (Government of Galicia) will spend on the Ministry of Social Policy and Equality in all of 2025, more than will be allocated to such important services as care for dependent children, nursing homes, and the fight against gender-based violence." Published at: 14:11 CEST 15/07/2025

The Catalan People's Party (PP) regrets that "the press and many parties" are now talking about Torre Pacheco and not after the attack on the sixty-year-old.

The Catalan People's Party (PP) has linked immigration to the violence after analyzing what happened in Torre Pacheco."Before the riots, there was an attack. And this attack must be condemned and, above all, punished," demanded Juan Fernández, spokesperson for the Popular Party in the Parliament. The Popular Party (PP) leader lamented that “the press and many parties” talk about the Murcian municipality “when the altercations occurred, but not when the attack took place,” and asserted that “it is only fair” to talk about “people who have come to our country to commit violence and crime.”

After calling for more security and police on the streets, Fernández pointed out that “surely the majority of immigrants come to work and start a better life than they had,” but “it cannot be denied” that many immigrants come to Spain to “take advantage of our system and the lack of enforcement of the law.”

Published at: 14:04 CEST 15/07/2025

Preliminary detention without bail for a person involved in the Torre Pacheco attack

The Investigative Court number 5 of Donostia-San Sebastián, acting as The Basque National Guard has ordered the provisional imprisonment without bail of the man arrested on Monday in Rentería for his alleged involvement in last week's assault on the sixty-year-old man from Torre Pacheco (Murcia) - a claim that far-right groups have seized on to encourage a"hunt" for the immigrant and cause unrest in the town of 40,000 inhabitants. The Basque Country's High Court of Justice (TSJ) has detailed that an arrest warrant was pending against the accused, who is accused of assault and battery as the alleged perpetrator of the assault. The San Sebastián court has now agreed to send the proceedings to the courts in San Javier (Murcia),"since the municipality of Torre Pacheco belongs to that judicial district." Published at: 1:54 PM CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 1:54 PM CEST 07/15/2025

The PP denounces that the reform of the singular financing for Catalonia is a hidden "constitutional mutation"

The parliamentary spokesperson for the PP, Ester Muñoz, has denounced that the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez,"is trying to carry out a constitutional mutation through deeds" with the reform of the singular financing for Catalonia agreed with the ERC."Sánchez is imposing a confederal model on us through the back door," stressed the PP spokesperson, who believes that this agreement constitutes"state corruption." Muñoz has aligned herself with Isabel Díaz Ayuso and José María Aznar and has suggested without evidence that the Government is now negotiating with its partners the next step, a self-determination referendum for Catalonia."In seven years, Pedro Sánchez has become the leader of the procés," concluded the PP leader.

Published at: 13:46 CEST 15/07/2025
Madrid

The Government maintains that the amnesty does not affect the economic interests of the EU nor contravenes the anti-terrorism directive

The government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, has downplayed the considerations of the European Commission, which has argued that the amnesty law approved last year “does not respond to the general interest” as it is the result of a political agreement to invest Pedro Sánchez and that it also “does not allow or hinder” determining whether the independence process undermined the financial interests of the European Union. Briefly, Alegría has denied the most important thing since the press conference following the Council of Ministers. “The amnesty does not affect the financial interests of the EU and does not contravene the anti-terrorism directive,” she stated. “Both the Venice Commission and the Constitutional Court consider that the amnesty responds to a legitimate purpose,” she added in response to questions from journalists.

Published at: 1:44 PM CEST 7/15/2025

The Government accuses Vox of “daily splashing around” in hatred of immigrants with the “complicit silence of the PP”

The Government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, has expressed her “resounding condemnation of all the violent events that have taken place” in the Murcian municipality of Torre Pacheco. In the press conference following the Council of Ministers, Alegría reflected on"the hatred that is fueled by lies" and becomes "more flammable fuel" when "you single out a group of people you believe are different," when "you link immigration with violence," or "instill fear and terror," said Alegría, who singled out the far right and the right wing."A political party like Vox flounders daily in that hatred, with the complicit silence of the PP," said Alegría. In Torre Pacheco, far-right groups have mobilized, calling on social media for the"hunting of immigrants." There are 13 arrests so far. Published at 1:36 PM CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 1:42 PM CEST 07/15/2025 Elsa García de Blas Political journalist Madrid

La portavoz del PP en el Congreso, Ester Muñoz, llega a una rueda de prensa en el Congreso de los Diputados, a 15 de julio de 2025, en Madrid (España).
15 JULIO 2025;RUEDAS;CONGRESO
Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press
15/07/2025
PP parliamentary spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, today in Congress. / Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press

The PP blames Vox and the Government for the incidents in Torre Pacheco

The parliamentary spokesperson for the PP, Ester Muñoz, has blamed both Vox and the PSOE and Sumar government for the violent incidents in Torre Pacheco (Murcia). “Violence is never resolved with violence. Taking violence into your own hands is never justified. Never. There are no buts,” reflected Muñoz, who also criticized Santiago Abascal's party. “Vox is irresponsibly taking advantage of everything that is happening instead of contributing to bringing normality to Torre Pacheco.” The spokesperson places the government of Pedro Sánchez at the same level of responsibility “because it has gone two years without an immigration policy.” The PP demands reinforcements for the State Security Forces and Corps and calls for"calm" among citizens. Published at: 13:10 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 13:32 CEST 15/07/2025

Comuns and CUP demand"strong responses" to avoid incidents like the one in Torre Pacheco in Catalonia

Comuns and CUP announced this Tuesday, just before the start of the plenary session of the Catalan Parliament, that they will ask the Minister of the Interior of the Generalitat, Núria Parlon, about the Mossos d'Esquadra strategy to prevent cases like the one in Torre Pacheco."We demand the maximum political and police force against what is a strategy of the far right, of Vox and Aliança, to hunt down our fellow citizens who have all the rights," demanded the spokesperson for the Comuns, David Cid, in a press conference. 

Both parties believe that the Generalitat must take measures in response to the racial clashes that have occurred in recent weeks in Catalonia. The latest was the fire last Saturday at a mosque in Piera (Barcelona), a month after the clashes between residents and young people in care at the juvenile center, which the police are investigating as arson."What is the Mossos d'Esquadra's plan to combat the far-right's strategy?" asked anti-establishment MP Pilar Castillejo."The strategy of hate requires a forceful response, and here, everything is evasive." Published at: 1:06 PM CEST 7/15/2025

Chunta Aragonesista reiterates that it will vote against the financing model if the uniqueness of Aragon is excluded

The deputy Jorge Pueyo, spokesperson for the Chunta Aragonesista (included within Sumar in Congress), has again warned that he will vote against the unique financing model that is being negotiated with ERC"if it contemplates a deal for Catalonia that excludes the financial uniqueness for Aragon." He wanted to be blunt: "No without Aragon." The Aragonese deputy has insisted that his party only demands what is included in the Statute of Autonomy of Aragon, which is an organic law, in article 108 of the bilateral agreement on unique financing for that community, which"has been in a drawer for 29 years," and which already also contemplated an Aragonese Tax Agency. The Chunta deputy has taken advantage of his appearance in Congress to particularly attack the current president of his community, the popular Jorge Azcón, whom he does not"trust" for not having done anything about this historic demand, and to show his"distrust" also towards the promises of the first vice president and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero. Published at: 12:46 CEST 15/07/2025

The PSOE of Murcia will request an extraordinary session in the Assembly to address racism in the Region

The spokesperson for the Socialist Parliamentary Group in the Regional Assembly of Murcia and secretary of Coordination of Institutional Policy of the PSOE in the Region of Murcia, Carmina Fernández, announced this Tuesday in a press conference that her party will request the holding of a permanent deputation in the Regional Assembly for"an extraordinary session" to develop "a monographic debate on racism and xenophobia in the Region of Murcia."  

A Plenary Session whose objective is “the unambiguous condemnation of all the violent and racist acts that occurred in Torre Pacheco” and which must address “the threat posed by these hate speeches and the promotion of hatred that the far right is unleashing in society”, as well as “the policies that need to be implemented to prevent these types of situations in the Region”, Fernández explained in reference to the disturbances that have occurred since last weekend in Torre Pacheco. 

“We want the Assembly to make a clear, firm and resounding statement”, stated the Socialist spokesperson in the Murcian Chamber. Fernández announced that the Socialists will present motions in all municipalities so that the plenary sessions of all the towns in Murcia “can speak out against racism, xenophobia and hate crimes”. (EP) 

Published at: 12:32 CEST 07/15/2025
La portavoz de VOX en el Congreso, Pepa Millán, llega a una rueda de prensa en el Congreso de los Diputados, a 15 de julio de 2025, en Madrid (España).
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Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press
15/07/2025
VOX spokesperson in Congress, Pepa Millán, moments before the press conference. / Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press

Millán (Vox) justifies that people"take justice into their own hands" in Torre Pacheco due to the Government's inaction.

Vox spokesperson in Congress, Pepa Millán, has justified the fact that residents of Torre Pacheco are"taking justice into their own hands" against immigrants due to the government's inaction, ignoring the fact that the majority of the episodes of violence against the Moroccan community have been perpetrated by far-right militants who have arrived in the Murcia town from different parts of Spain."Everything has a limit, and what we cannot expect is for the people who are suffering from crime in their town, the relatives of those being attacked, to sit idly on the sofa at home. What we must not allow is for people to take justice into their own hands, but that is unfortunately what the government's inaction is leading to," she said at a press conference in Congress.  “In a situation where there are victims who are continually suffering violence on their streets,” he insisted, “expecting these people not to respond is no longer being out of touch with reality, it is not understanding human nature, because I highly doubt that if someone here beats up a relative or a friend, they would expect them to remain impassive.” Ignoring the fact that the Civil Guard has already arrested the three alleged perpetrators of the beating suffered by a local pensioner last Wednesday, Millán asserted that the person responsible for people “taking justice into their own hands” — that is, indiscriminately attacking immigrants — is the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, for not heeding the mayor's requests to reinforce the number of State Security Forces in Torre Pacheco. Millán has even accused the government of"stirring up this problem and deliberately sowing chaos to criminalize Spaniards who legitimately protest and disrupt legitimate protests," referring to last weekend's riots. After asserting that Spain is in danger of becoming a"failed state," as he has called France, he said that the events in Torre Pacheco were"foreseeable and avoidable" and predicted that they will be repeated in the future, although he asserted that his party does not like it."Unfortunately, we are going to have to live through more unpleasant episodes; that is not what we want," said Millán.

Published at 12:24 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 19:01 CEST 15/07/2025

La diputada de Sumar Aina Vidal llega a una rueda de prensa en el Congreso de los Diputados, a 15 de julio de 2025, en Madrid (España).
15 JULIO 2025;RUEDAS;CONGRESO
Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press
15/07/2025
Sumar representative Aina Vidal, today in Congress. / Fernando Sánchez / Europa Press

En Comú and Sumar invite all parties, except the PP and Vox, to form a study commission against racism

The spokesperson for En Comú in Congress, Aina Vidal, has launched a proposal to begin to curb the rise of"racist and Nazi" behaviors and attitudes of the "human hunts" that are being observed these days in Torre Pacheco, Murcia. Vidal has suggested that these"organized and intentional" movements challenge society in general with the question of whether "it is time for the Nazis to return" who have never left, and has answered:"No, never and never." In this line of extreme harshness against these persecutions of human beings, Vidal has said that they are in permanent contact with the Ministry of the Interior to demand extensive protection operations for the affected residents. Furthermore, it has demanded that the popular legislative initiative for the regularization of migrants, which has been stalled in Congress for months, be implemented immediately, and that a study commission on"structural, systemic, and comprehensive" racism in Spain be created in Congress. However, En Comú and Sumar, which supports the idea, will not invite the PP and Vox to this commission. Published at: 12:14 CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 12:57 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

Fernando López, along with the mayor of Torre Pacheco, Pedro Ángel Roca, addresses the press this Tuesday in the Murcian town. / MORELL / EFETORRE PACHECO (MURCIA), 15/07/2025.- El presidente del Gobierno de la Región de Murcia, Fernando López junto al alcalde de Torre Pacheco, Pedro Angel Roca (i), atiende a la prensa a su llegada a la región murciana este martes. López Miras ha hecho este martes un llamamiento a la calma y la convivencia pacífica, que "es lo que quieren los vecinos de Torre Pacheco", y ha reiterado la necesidad de que el Ministerio del Interior despliegue los efectivos necesarios para que "termine la violencia" y la población del Campo de Cartagena no sea esta jornada "un campo de batalla".EFE/ Morell

López Miras calls for calm and asks the Interior Ministry to prevent Torre Pacheco from becoming a “battlefield”

The president of the Government of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, has called this Tuesday for calm and peaceful coexistence in Torre Pacheco, which “is what the residents want” and has reiterated the need for the Ministry of the Interior to deploy the necessary forces so that “the violence ends” and the population does not become “a battlefield”. López Miras has stated that he is “very concerned” about what is happening these days in the Murcian town. In response to calls on social media for a protest under the slogan"Against the attacks on our grandparents. Only the people save the people," and when asked what measures his government can take to ensure it passes without incident, the president emphasized that security powers are exclusively the state's:"I wish that in this situation the regional government had powers because we would have the town absolutely protected, with all the necessary personnel, and we would prevent the entry of organized groups or anyone violent," he stated. The president avoided referring to the investigation that the Prosecutor's Office has opened against the regional leader of Vox, José Ángel Antelo, who on his social media linked immigration and violence."Torre Pacheco pains me because they are my neighbors. I speak with the mayor every thirty minutes and I will go this morning to meet with him again," the president said before insisting that the "responsible thing right now is to call for calm, for security to be guaranteed and for the Interior Ministry to put the necessary means in place to prevent people from outside from bringing hatred and violence." (Efe) Published at: 12:06 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 13:41 CEST 15/07/2025

Residents of Torre Pacheco clash with far-right agitators

The fuse in Torre Pacheco is still lit, and any hint of inspiration ignites it again. The press conference called by Podemos MP Ione Belarra in the center of the town ended in a turbulent exchange between town residents and far-right agitators who also attended the meeting, such as Vito Quiles and Bertrand Ndongo. Belarra condemned the actions of the extremists who, coming from outside the town, have encouraged a"hunt" against Moroccan immigrants, encouraged by the speeches of political parties such as Vox."Where were they when three German citizens beat up a taxi driver in Mallorca?" asked the secretary general of Podemos. While Belarra demanded a strong response to hate speech, the townspeople began shouting"fascists out" at Ndongo and Quiles, who were trying to sabotage the statements of the Purple Party deputy and Serigne Mbayé, an activist and former deputy for that party in the Madrid Assembly. For this Tuesday, extremist groups have called a rally at 8:00 p.m., and the town is preparing for another night of terror. Published at 12:04 CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 12:17 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

La secretaria general y diputada de Podemos, Ione Belarra, en Torre Pacheco
EUROPA PRESS
15/07/2025
The general secretary and deputy of Podemos, Ione Belarra, today in Torre Pacheco. / EUROPA PRESS

Belarra denounces from Torre Pacheco the government's"inaction" against "far-right racist terrorism."

Podemos leader Ione Belarra traveled to Torre Pacheco on Tuesday to show her "solidarity and affection" for the residents of this Murcian town in the face of "far-right racist terrorism." Belarra denounced the government's "inaction" following the riots and asserted that "if it weren't racialized families" threatened by calls for a "hunt for immigrants," those responsible "would be in custody."

The Podemos MP also called on citizens to participate in "peaceful demonstrations to confront racism." Belarra calls for "the true perpetrators, the masterminds, to be identified," among whom she cited the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal; the head of the far-right party in the Region of Murcia, José Ángel Antelo; and those she calls its"media spokespeople," including the agitator Vito Quiles and Daniel Esteve, owner of the company dedicated to extrajudicial evictions, Desokupa.

Published at 11:54 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 13:31 CEST 15/07/2025

Javier Casqueiro

Javier Casqueiro, Political Correspondent for EL PAÍS, Madrid

Compromís highlights three positive points, one red line, and"many doubts" in the new financing model.

Compromís has yet to decide how it will vote when the new financing model outlined by the PSOE government, the Generalitat (Catalan government), and ERC (Republican Socialist Workers' Party) reaches Congress. Its deputy, Alberto Ibáñez, from the Sumar group, has summarized his current position with three positive aspects, one red line, and"many doubts." Sumar also has different opinions on the matter. Ibáñez has called for “calm and serenity” in the face of these current differences, because he notes that the model is not yet going to be voted on. However, he does anticipate that for Compromís there are three points in favor: the criterion of ordinality (that no community that contributes like Valencia is harmed), the collection of taxes by the autonomous communities (which would speed up the arrival of these revenues in one year instead of the current two that the central government takes to send these items) and ending the fiscal dumping that they understand is fundamentally practiced by the Community of Madrid with its indiscriminate tax cuts.

The red line for Compromís would be that the final agreement does not include a transitional fund to compensate the regions that have been disadvantaged in recent years, such as Valencia. And the doubts stem from the fact that this party read the document signed on Monday in the Bilateral Commission of the central and Catalan governments and does not see"data, dates, and figures." But Compromís does appreciate that after 11 years with an outdated model, at least the issue has been raised to discuss the new one.

Published at 11:21 CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 11:22 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

A man is arrested by police in Torre Pacheco early this morning. / Violeta Santos Moura / REUTERSA person is detained by riot police officers, amid anti-migrant unrest following an attack on an elderly man by unknown assailants earlier in the week, in Torre Pacheco, Spain, July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Three arrests were made this morning, bringing the total number of arrests for disturbances in Torre Pacheco to 13.

Three new arrests last night bring the total number of arrests for racist incidents in Torre Pacheco to 13. This was explained by the Colonel in charge of the Civil Guard in the Region of Murcia, Francisco Pulido, who indicated that more than 120 people have been identified, many of whom have been seized with instruments that could be used as weapons in such incidents. The racist incidents began last week after the attack on a 68-year-old man, in which three young men of North African origin were involved, who have already been arrested.

Published at 11:09 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 13:11 CEST 15/07/2025

Cristina Vázquez

Cristina Vázquez

The mayor of Valencia announces that she will go to the Constitutional Court over the financing agreement with Catalonia.

Valencia City Council will appeal to the Constitutional Court (CC) and the Council of Europe regarding the special financing agreement the government has reached with Catalonia, according to the mayor of the capital, María José Catalá, of the People's Party (PP)."Valencia will appeal to the Constitutional Court and the Council of Europe if the special financing agreement for Catalonia is implemented," Catalá wrote on the social network X."Citizens of the other autonomous regions should not repay Sánchez's favor to the independence movement in exchange for a seat in the Moncloa Palace," she concluded.

The Bilateral Commission between the State and the Generalitat (Catalan government) held this Monday laid the foundations for the financing model for Catalonia. The agreement responds to the need to fulfill the commitment between the ERC (Republican Revolutionary Party) and the Socialists in exchange for the investiture of Salvador Illa. The pact opens the door for the autonomous communities that wish to do so to manage all taxes, restructuring the territorial leveling mechanisms.

Published at 11:05 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 11:05 CEST 15/07/2025

The Country Javier Casqueiro

Más Madrid calls for an observatory at RTVE to highlight migrants following the Torre Pacheco riots.

Más Madrid MP Teslem Andala Ubbi (within the Plurinational Parliamentary Group SUMAR) has denounced in the Congress of Deputies the presence and actions of"terrorist groups" that threaten democracy and coexistence in Torre Pacheco and has proposed that her group register a non-legislative motion today to create an observatory at RTVE for the visibility and monitoring of migrants in public debate. Andala Ubbi considers the"scarce presence" of migrants in talk shows, politics, and other arenas evident, with the aim of"seeing themselves reflected and having role models." Más Madrid believes that this could provide more data and visibility to migrants and racialized people across the board and understands that this is an obligation of a progressive government. The initiative will be discussed by the RTVE committee of the Cortes.

Published at 10:58 CEST 07/15/2025

Reyes Rincón

Reyes Rincón, Madrid

The Murcia Prosecutor's Office will investigate the regional leader of Vox for his statements about the incidents in Torre Pacheco.

The Superior Prosecutor's Office, through the Cartagena Area, will open an investigation to assess whether there is evidence of a crime, both in the public statements made by the regional president of Vox, José Ángel Antelo, and in his social media posts in recent days linking immigration and violence following the riots in Torre Pacheco. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, these inquiries have been initiated following complaints received from the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), Izquierda Unida (United Left), and Podemos (We Can). The investigation will be conducted by the regional prosecutor for hate crimes in the region.

Published at: 10:36 CEST 07/15/2025

Miguel González

Miguel González, Diplomatic and Defense Correspondent for EL PAÍS, Madrid

The leader of Vox in Murcia says the prosecutor is"wasting his time" investigating him for a hate crime.

The leader of Vox in Murcia, José Ángel Antelo, believes that the hate crimes prosecutor, Miguel Ángel Aguilar, is “wasting his time” investigating him and assumes that the complaint filed against him by the PSOE and Podemos for the anti-immigration statements he made last Friday in Torre Pacheco, before the racist riots that shook the town began, will eventually be dismissed. “Telling the truth is not hate; what is hate is what the left does. Belonging to the Socialist Party or Podemos today is the biggest hate crime against the Region of Murcia,” he declared Monday night on El Toro TV, a channel linked to the far-right party. Antelo accused the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, of provoking this outbreak of violence “to distract attention from the immense corruption that is taking place” and of “using the residents of Torre Pacheco as hostages.” The regional leader of Vox has denied that the rioters, who largely came to the Murcia town from across Spain, are violent far-right elements—"anyone who demonstrates against the government is a dangerous far-right extremist," he said—and has asserted that some immigrants have "committed serious crimes in their country, such as jihadism, pedophilia, or rape," because "Mohamed VI has opened the prisons, granted pardons, and many of them board the boat and arrive in the Murcia region, which is the second gateway for illegal immigration. That's the truth."

Published at 10:32 CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 10:40 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

The Basque Government asks Sánchez for "high-mindedness" and "will" at this Tuesday's meeting.

Basque Government spokesperson María Ubarretxena has asked Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for"high-mindedness" and "political will" to implement the "commitments made" regarding jurisdictional matters at the bilateral meeting the two executives will hold this Tuesday in Madrid. This afternoon's meeting, to be held at Moncloa Palace, will be attended by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Lehendakari Imanol Pradales."We have been working for months, and in recent days as well, to achieve agreements. What we hope for is that today there will be high-mindedness on the part of the State to be able to endorse the commitments made," urged the Basque Minister of Governance, Digital Administration, and Self-Government, the department responsible for the negotiations prior to today's meeting.

On the table of the Bilateral Commission will be the transfer of non-contributory family and unemployment benefits to the Basque Country, as well as the official status of the Basque language in Europe, the increase in electrical power, and the Atlantic Macroregion. In a message provided by the Basque Government, Ubarretxena emphasized that the agenda is"very important" because it contains "interests for the Basque Country" that go beyond its own jurisdiction. Therefore, she insisted that the Basque side hopes that"there is political will on the other side of the table and that today can be an important day for the Basque Country, and that the commitments made can be endorsed." (Efe)

Published at 10:28 CEST 07/15/2025

Silvia Ayuso

Silvia Ayuso Brussels

Albares urges democratic parties to unite against the "scourge of racism and xenophobia."

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has described the riots and calls for a "hunt for immigrants" that have been rocking Torre Pacheco for several days as "unacceptable." From Brussels, he urged all democratic forces in the country to unite"against the scourge of racism and xenophobia" and stressed that the "unacceptable" situation of violence in the Murcia town "does not represent Spain."

"I call on all democratic forces to unite against this other scourge, the scourge of racism and xenophobia, as we have done on other occasions in our history, as we have faced the scourge of terrorism," Albares urged from Brussels, where he is participating in an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting this Monday.

"The situation we have been experiencing for days in Torre Pacheco is absolutely unacceptable. It does not represent Spain, it does not represent us Spaniards," condemned the head of Spanish diplomacy, who underlined the"tolerant, welcoming, plural, and diverse" nature of Spanish society, where"hate speech and xenophobia have no place."

"Xenophobia and racism are always despicable and must be fought head-on, making it clear—and I hope all democratic political parties and forces in Spain will do so—that we will never tolerate them, that we will not allow them to disrupt our coexistence and our society," he insisted.

Published at: 10:00 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

Sémper is grateful for the"wave of affection" he has received since announcing his cancer.

The national spokesperson for the PP, Borja Sémper, has stated that"everything has been a wave of affection and generosity from many people" since he announced, on Monday, that he has cancer.

In an interview on Onda Cero, Sémper expressed that"in the face of illness, and this illness that is very painful, the affection and the agreement of everyone in showing it, I must say, is comforting."

The spokesperson explained that he decided to share the news at a press conference on Monday "before seeing it published anywhere and on a regular basis." "My responsibility is to share it so that people know what's going on," he said. He also said that he shared it because he"wanted to help make the word cancer less of a curse, so that it can be seen in public spaces and in everyone's daily lives naturally. Maybe there's someone it helps, I don't know."

"It's better to tell it naturally to take the drama out of it, without trivializing it, but taking the edge off," he said, adding that he's now capable of making jokes and resorting to"dark humor, which always helps."

Sémper has confessed that the news that the tumor they discovered was localized came "on the day the PP National Congress began," last Friday, July 4."I was relatively interested in the congress," the spokesperson assured.

The spokesperson also took the opportunity to thank his partner, Bárbara Goenaga,"for insisting that I undergo tests." "I am speaking these terms for my wife, because she insisted that I undergo the tests," he stated, explaining that this was the reason why the tumor was detected in a timely manner, which makes it possible, as he expressed on Monday when announcing his illness,"the medical expectation" is "of a cure."

Published at 09:41 CEST 07/15/2025 and modified at 09:45 CEST 07/15/2025 El País

The hate crimes prosecutor considers that calls for "immigrant hunting" are "clearly a criminal offense."

The Prosecutor of the Hate Crimes Unit, Miguel Ángel Aguilar, considered this Tuesday that the call for an"immigrant hunt" in Torre Pacheco "is absolutely unacceptable and clearly constitutes a criminal offense." Aguilar confirmed that the Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation into the statements made by the provincial president of Vox in Murcia, José Ángel Antelo, following complaints from the PSOE and Podemos. Antelo visited the Murcia town on Saturday, which has seen several nights of riots following the beating of a sixty-year-old man in the town. Ten people have been arrested so far.

Aguilar confirmed in an interview with Cadena Ser that,"so far," this is the only complaint filed. The prosecutor for hate crimes has deemed it"unacceptable" that there are "calls to carry out acts of violence, hunts" that affect "coexistence." He also noted that it is now the turn of the police, who are"gathering facts and evidence" and are investigating what happened with the tracking of "channels or profiles" that are inciting violence."We must act prudently and calmly to properly secure the evidence and identify the perpetrators," said the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office, who calls for more measures, legal changes, and tools to carry out the work of the prosecutor's office.

Published at 09:06 CEST 15/07/2025 and modified at 09:41 CEST 15/07/2025

Los vínculos de Vox con la plataforma europea de extrema derecha que llama a ‘cazar’ magrebíes en Torre Pacheco

Deport Them Now, the European far-right platform that has called on its followers to"hunt" North Africans in Torre Pacheco (Murcia), has shared a campaign with Vox against immigrants in Barcelona. DTN Europe, as it signs its statements, supported the rally"against Islamization" organized in Terrassa (Barcelona) by Santiago Abascal's party on March 22; and then, together with Vox, designed a poster calling for the demonstration held on March 28 in Barcelona's Plaza Kennedy to demand the closure of the municipal immigrant reception center in Sant Gervasi, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Catalan capital.

Published at: 08:25 CEST 07/15/2025

Cuarta noche en la zona cero en Torre Pacheco: “No vamos a abrir un negocio hasta que esto no se calme”

Elena Reina Sebastián Forero

Like every night since the fuse was lit last Friday in the Murcia town of Torre Pacheco (population 40,000), the residents of the San Antonio neighborhood, mostly of Moroccan origin, have taken to the streets. They claim others are trying to take them away. They gathered around 9:00 p.m. on one of the corners of a neighborhood cordoned off at each end by Civil Guard vehicles. At the meeting, the imams of the municipality's four mosques and some neighborhood leaders called for calm. This message was especially dedicated to the youngest residents, who expected a confrontation with extremist groups that ultimately didn't occur. This Monday was the first relatively calm night since far-right groups began a hunt for the town's young people of Moroccan origin."We don't want this to go any further. It's best if everyone goes home," one of them urged the hooded crowd in Arabic.

Published at: 08:05 CEST 07/15/2025

The Country

La propuesta de financiación catalana aún requiere de respaldo para salir adelante

Javier Casqueiro Bernat Coll

The foundations for a proposed single financing system agreed upon by the Catalan government and the Generalitat (Generalitat) currently lack the support to move forward. Neither in Catalonia nor in the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council (the rest of the autonomous communities practically reject it en masse), nor in Congress, where any reform of regional financing must be approved. Last summer, the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) agreed to the investiture of Salvador Illa with the ERC (Republican Revolutionary Party) with the commitment to a single financing system for Catalonia as a shared roadmap for the legislature in the Catalan Parliament. The central government, which also wants to strengthen the ERC (Republican Revolutionary Party) as a partner in Congress, now intends to make progress in fulfilling this commitment. It is in this context that the agreement on these foundations for new regional financing must be understood. These new financing plans will be discussed multilaterally with the rest of the autonomous communities in the final quarter. For now, the bilateral proposal has aroused nothing but misgivings. The PP, which controls the majority of the autonomous communities, is boycotting it because it believes it should be reviewed by everyone and because it presumes that Pedro Sánchez is thus seeking to"dismantle" Spain, but there is also no consensus among the PSOE's parliamentary partners.

Published at: 07:45 CEST 07/15/2025

The Country

A new Bilateral Commission and two press conferences in Torre Pacheco

Good morning. We begin this live broadcast to cover Tuesday's main political events. Here are some of them:

— The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, meets with the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, in a Bilateral Commission which seeks to advance pending transfers and address the first of the Social Security blocks.

- He Council of Ministers It is expected to approve in the second round the reform of the laws on dependency and disability, which will then be submitted as a bill to the Congress of Deputies.

— About the disturbances in Torre Pacheco (Murcia), where extremist groups have called for a “hunt for immigrants” after the beating of a sixty-year-old man from the municipality, the president of Vox in the Region, José Ángel Antelo, He is scheduled to give a press conference at 9:30 a.m. He also plans to appear at 11:00 a.m. in the same municipality. MP and Secretary General of Podemos, Ione Belarra , and other leaders of the formation in Murcia.

Published at: 07:31 CEST 07/15/2025

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