The town of Torre Pacheco in Spain’s Murcia Region has been gripped by a wave of social unrest following the violent assault of a seventy-year-old man, Domingo, near the local cemetery. Authorities believe the attack, which was not linked to robbery, may be part of a viral social media challenge aimed at gaining notoriety.

The incident has sparked two consecutive nights of disturbances, with far-right groups seizing on the event to incite anti-migrant sentiment, particularly against residents of North African origin. Videos of the assault circulated online, fuelling tensions that led to clashes between protesters and locals. Despite the deployment of over fifty officers from the Local Police and Guardia Civil, several individuals were injured, and at least one arrest was made.

Eyewitnesses reported that many of those involved in stoking the violence were not local residents, but outsiders intent on causing division. Groups armed with batons patrolled the streets, and demonstrators shouting anti-immigrant slogans disrupted a town hall-organised protest intended to be peaceful. One group, calling itself ‘Deport Them Now’, is also under investigation for inciting hostility via social media.

Government delegate Mariola Guevara has condemned the violence and confirmed that those responsible for promoting hate online are being identified. Mayor Pedro Ángel Roca has called for calm, warning that violence should not be met with more violence, and has proposed a permanent increase in police patrols. The President of the Murcia Region, Fernando López Miras, has echoed these sentiments, urging for peaceful coexistence and a return to normality.

Community leaders and unions have urged residents not to generalise or assign collective blame, stressing the importance of unity and inclusion. Residents, both native and foreign-born, have expressed a shared desire for safety and respect, as investigations continue and the town remains under close watch.