Nine people have been arrested following three consecutive nights of violent unrest in the southeastern Spanish town of Torre Pacheco, triggered by tensions over an alleged assault involving migrants, authorities confirmed on Monday.

The disturbances began on Friday after a 68-year-old local man told local media he had been attacked by three youths of North African origin.

The report sparked a wave of violence that saw street property destroyed and car windows smashed.

Speaking to Cadena SER radio, Torre Pacheco mayor Pedro Angel Roca said the situation was worsened by social media posts that fuelled tensions and attracted people from outside the town. “These were not residents. They came in and caused chaos,” he noted.

Murcia region’s central government representative Mariola Guevara Cava said authorities had identified 80 individuals connected to the unrest.

“Many of them have prior criminal records for violence. The majority of them are not from Torre Pacheco,” she stated.

Guevara confirmed that two individuals were arrested in relation to the alleged assault on the elderly man. Six Spanish nationals and one Moroccan have also been detained for alleged involvement in hate crimes, causing damage, and public disorder.

To contain the situation, the Civil Guard deployed 90 officers to the town. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told Cadena SER that more officers would be dispatched if necessary to maintain order.

Online incitement appeared to play a role in stoking the violence. A far-right group calling itself “Deport Them Now” posted a message online encouraging attacks against North Africans, according to officials.

In response, the Moroccan Association for the Integration of Immigrants condemned the unrest in a statement, saying: “Threats, attacks and fear in the streets must end.” The organisation called for “real protection for the affected people”.

Mayor Roca told broadcaster TVE that Torre Pacheco has a diverse population, with immigrants making up 30 percent of residents—many of whom have lived in the town for over two decades and work mainly in agriculture.

Moroccans remain the largest foreign community in Spain, with over 920,000 residents, based on the most recent official figures.