Anti-Migrant Protests Erupt Near Madrid After Rape Case
Clashes erupted outside a migrant center in Alcalá de Henares after a Malian asylum seeker was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a young local woman. Right-wing groups joined demonstrators demanding policy changes.
Twitter
Protests erupted into violent clashes late Friday in Alcalá de Henares, a suburb northeast of Madrid, following the arrest of a 21-year-old man from Mali suspected of raping a Spanish woman near a local asylum facility. The incident has ignited national outrage and reignited debate over Spain's migration policy.
According to authorities, the suspect allegedly brutally assaulted and raped a 21-year-old woman last weekend near a shelter housing approximately 2,000 asylum seekers. He was reportedly identified through surveillance footage and is now being held in pre-trial detention without bail.
Tensions Spill Into the Streets
In response, an estimated 300 demonstrators gathered outside the migrant center on Friday night to express support for the victim and demand the facility's closure. Protesters carried banners condemning what they described as “uncontrolled immigration”, with some signs reading “Intruders, get out!”. The crowd also chanted slogans aimed at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, criticizing his pro-immigration policies.
The demonstration turned violent when groups such as Nucleo Nacional and Democracia Nacional joined the protest. Video footage circulating on social media shows police officers in riot gear pushing back crowds, using batons and firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
This marks the second such incident this week. A protest on Wednesday also ended in scuffles, resulting in at least four arrests, according to local news reports. Another rally has already been scheduled for Saturday.
Local Authorities Demand Action
Judith Piquet, the mayor of Alcalá de Henares, announced plans to formally request the closure of the migrant center. She accused the central government of imposing the facility on the city without consulting local leadership or conducting a thorough impact study.
“Residents have been raising concerns for months,” Piquet said in a statement.
“The center is overcrowded, lacks proper integration and security protocols, and has led to a growing sense of insecurity and disorder in the area.”
She also called on the national government to review security standards at all migrant centers across Spain.
A Divided Europe on Migration
The unrest comes as a broader European reckoning over migration policy is taking place. Multiple EU countries are reinstating border controls and imposing stricter immigration laws in recent years. The shift has been fueled by security concerns, social tensions, and a spike in migrant-related crime, particularly since the 2015 migration.
Spain has so far taken a more open stance, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promoting migration as essential for economic growth and demographic stability. He has championed the EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which aims to enforce mandatory redistribution of asylum seekers among member states and fine those that refuse.
Despite the government’s push for integration, recent high-profile crimes involving migrants have amplified public frustration and calls for reform - especially in communities located near overcrowded shelters..