Migrants Attacked Near Madrid Shelter After Alleged Rape Arrest

The alleged rape of a 14-year-old Spanish girl by a Moroccan migrant in Madrid has ignited violent backlash and political controversy. Following the arrest of the migrant minor, two hooded men attacked two migrant children and an accompanying adult near the First Reception Centre in Hortaleza, leading to hospital treatment for one child. The incident has heightened security at the center and sparked polarized responses: Madrid's conservative regional government, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has pushed to include the accused in a group of migrant minors at risk of repatriation, while the national left-wing government condemned the violence and cautioned against criminalizing vulnerable populations. Vox, a far-right party, blamed the alleged assault on lax migration policies and called for demonstrations, escalating tensions further. Francisco Martín, government representative in Madrid, emphasized that hate speech fuels hate crimes and criticized the political exploitation of this case compared to other rape cases in Madrid. The episode reflects broader social unrest in Spain linked to migration issues, following similar recent incidents in other regions.