Racist Attacks on Moroccan Migrants Escalate in Canary Islands

The rise of racism in the Canary Islands and mainly in the migrant detention center is becoming worrying. More and more attacks are being recorded from some neighbors of the center who seem to oppose the presence of migrants in the neighborhood. "There are attacks almost every day, that’s what scares me the most," explains a worker at the center, who deplores the beatings suffered by migrants, the throwing of stones and racist remarks.

Three victims have filed a complaint with the local police. Oussman, a 25-year-old Moroccan migrant, recounts that he was attacked by surprise and hit on the head by a young man driving a scooter as he was waiting for his friends around the center. He adds that he received violent kicks that caused an injury to his jaw and leg. Another, Ahmed, 19, confides that he fled the beach to escape the kicks of several young people. Hassan, for his part, was threatened with a machete.

According to a representative of the Cruz Blanca Foundation, which is in charge of managing the center, the forced confinement recommended to migrants and technical staff of the Foundation by the national police since January 22 could have an impact on the mental health of the latter.

For its part, the Ministry of Integration, which says it is "very concerned about the situation", assures that it is closely monitoring its evolution. "Our centers are places of free entry and exit, and we cannot allow the migrants we welcome to be afraid to go out," said a spokesman for the Secretary of State for Migration to elDiario.es.