The peaceful morning of Domingo, a 70-year-old man (154 pounds) living in Torre Pacheco, Spain, turned into a real nightmare last Wednesday, when he was the victim of a violent assault by a group of illegal Moroccan immigrants while he was taking his usual walk.
The attack took place around 6:00 a.m. near the local cemetery. Far from being an attempted robbery, the motive was even more disturbing, as it was allegedly a "video intended for social media."
According to Domingo's own account, he saw the young illegal immigrants scattered at some distance before the attack. One of them suddenly approached him and began to hit him without saying a word, focusing the blows on his face.
El anciano español atacado.
He was then thrown violently to the ground and attacked with kicks and punches by several assailants. Although they checked his pockets, robbery was ruled out as the motive for the attack, since he was wearing a watch that they never tried to take.
Investigators link the attack to a dangerous "viral challenge" that encourages assaults on defenseless people in exchange for likes and views on social media. Although a video related to this type of incident circulated on social media, Domingo's family clarified that it doesn't correspond to this case, raising the possibility that there may be more similar episodes.
The Civil Guard and the Local Police are working to identify those responsible, while the mayor of the municipality, Pedro Ángel Roca, announced the installation of security cameras in public areas and called for a greater police presence in the area.
Un inmigrante ilegal marroquí arrestado.
Domingo's case quickly went viral on social media and caused deep outrage in Spain. Based on the victim's account, who mentioned that the strikers were young Moroccans, messages began to circulate once again highlighting the issue of illegal immigration and violence against Spanish citizens.
Through Telegram channels, right-wing organizations announced the formation of "neighborhood patrols" with the aim of locating the assailants and carrying out "direct justice."
Torre Pacheco, a town of just over 40,000 inhabitants, of whom approximately 30% are illegal immigrants, mainly of Moroccan origin, has become the focus of tension.
