THERE were two nights of violent protests outside an asylum centre near Madrid over the weekend after reports emerged that a 21-year-old Malian migrant had allegedly sexually assaulted a young woman.
Around 500 demonstrators gathered near the Emergency Reception and Referral Centre (CAED) in Alcalá de Henares on Friday evening, with police identifying 57 participants in the disturbances.
The riots, which left a police officer injured and resulted in one arrest, were organised by far-right youth group Revuelta, according to reports.
The protests erupted despite authorities relocating the planned demonstration from outside the asylum centre to another location, citing security concerns following violence during a previous gathering last Wednesday.
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Government officials had warned of potential risks based on police intelligence reports.
However, protesters defied the ban and marched to the migrant centre, where they chanted slogans against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the two-party political system, and police.
The unrest stems from an alleged sexual assault that occurred on June 28 at around 7pm, when a 21-year-old woman was reportedly attacked whilst walking on a dirt path surrounding the Primo de Rivera barracks, which houses the emergency reception centre.
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Police say the alleged attacker threw himself at the victim, beat her, and sexually assaulted her with penetration.
The woman managed to call for help from a passing man, who contacted police.
The suspected rapist has been arrested and remanded in custody without bail by the investigating judge at Alcalá de Henares Court Number 5.
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The case has highlighted growing tensions surrounding Spain’s asylum and migration policies, with far-right groups seizing on the incident to mobilise protests against the government’s immigration approach.
The Emergency Reception and Referral Centre in Alcalá de Henares provides temporary accommodation for asylum seekers and migrants whilst their cases are processed by Spanish authorities.
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