Several Catalan cities are in a situation similar to Torre Pacheco's.

Torre Pacheco has become the main focus of news in Spain in recent days. A group of young people of Moroccan origin beat an elderly man for no other reason than to amuse themselves. This provoked a fierce response from hundreds of residents who, tired of the rise in crime in the town, took to the streets of this town in Murcia to look for the alleged perpetrators of the assault.

According to OKDiario yesterday, so far there are two people arrested for the brutal beating of the elderly man. They are two undocumented young men of Moroccan nationality who didn't attack the man, but did witness the events without doing anything to stop them. Moreover, according to this outlet, the two detainees (aged 21 and 22) encouraged the striker and are accused of covering up and failing to provide assistance.

In parallel with the police investigation, the streets of Torre Pacheco have been on fire for several days. Literally. Barricades, burned dumpsters, stone throwing, groups of Moroccans and nationals searching for each other in the city streets...

Everyone is far right

The mainstream media (especially those called progressive, but also those considered conservative) have wasted no time in labeling Torre Pacheco residents as far-right. Although it is true that some ultra groups have traveled to this town in Murcia, the truth is that most of the protesters are residents who are simply tired of the impunity enjoyed by some wrongdoers.

For example, something this subsidized press hasn't explained is that just two weeks ago two thieves shot at a Torre Pacheco local police car when they were caught trying to steal used clothing from a warehouse. Last week's beating of the elderly man has only ignited the flame in a room already full of matches and gasoline.

How many Torre Pachecos are there in Catalonia?

For the system, it's easier to discredit the residents and label everyone as far-right than to face a problem that is growing throughout Spain: the impunity of criminals who take advantage of overly permissive laws. Of course, this scenario ends up causing residents to get fed up when they see that the administration has abandoned its obligations to enforce law and order.

What is happening in Torre Pacheco is nothing more than the explosion of a breeding ground present in many towns. Also in Catalonia. There are quite a few Catalan towns where residents have had to organize themselves to stand up and confront groups of criminals who roam freely.

A few weeks ago, residents of the Bellvitge neighborhood, in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, organized citizen patrols to stop the wave of home burglaries and also muggings of young people, girls, elderly people, and people with mobility issues by foreign youths.

Recently, Sabadell made the news because a group of residents confronted squatters in the southern part of the city. That same weekend there were also disturbances in the Barceloneta neighborhood, in the Catalan capital, to stop repeat offenders.

That neighbor revolts are spreading throughout Catalonia is evident. In fact, beyond the cases of Bellvitge, Sabadell, or Barceloneta, in recent hours we have learned about the case of Polinyà, near Sabadell.

In this municipality, about 400 residents surrounded four young people of Maghrebi origin who had been accused of robbing a local boy, from whom they stole a bracelet. Police reinforcements had to arrive to calm the situation, reports El Caso, which ended with two of the alleged thieves arrested, the two Maghrebis.

Thus, these examples show that what is happening in Torre Pacheco is not just a one-off reaction from far-right groups. It is, simply, yet another example of the frustration of many residents who see how, on many occasions, crime goes unpunished. Here's another example: in Calella, some habitual repeat offenders harassed a girl, assaulted a resident who confronted them about their actions, also assaulted the police officers who arrested them, caused disturbances in court, and in less than 24 hours the judge had already released them. If Calella residents get fed up, will they all be considered far-right too?