Warning – this story contains distressing scenes of violence
A SEEMINGLY innocuous family lunch in Galicia spiralled into a chaotic and deadly brawl, leaving one man dead and several others injured in what police describe as a clash between two Romani clans.Â
The trouble began around 3pm on July 2 when two families, one from the Barbanza area and the other from Lavacoya near Santiago, gathered at a local restaurant in A Coruña to celebrate a family event.
What started as a typical gathering soon descended into mayhem four hours later, with the conflict erupting both inside and outside the premises.
Police arrived in force but were helpless to stop the warring parties and even had to fire warning shots into the air.
Eyewitnesses reported a scene of utter chaos, with fists, machetes, and sticks wielded amidst a brawl of over a hundred people.
The violence spilled into the car park, where vehicles became part of the fray.
A particularly harrowing moment captured on video showed a man in a blue shirt initially attacking someone from the opposing group, only to turn on his own allies, adding to the confusion.
Another man, nicknamed Pecho, was seen relentlessly whacking others with a stick, while a would-be peacemaker in a white shirt was knocked down and nearly run over by a van.
The brawl’s climax came when a 36-year-old man was fatally struck by a car, an event now under investigation to determine if it was intentional.
The perpetrators were later apprehended at a toll booth near Santiago.
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This incident opens a window into the complex world of Romani clans in Spain.
These communities, often marginalised by wider society, are sometimes embroiled in historical feuds that can erupt with devastating consequences.
The Romani community is grappling with the fallout, with claims of vendetta and revenge circulating, further entrenching the cycle of violence.
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