A man was arrested by the National Police in Palma after hitting a black homeless person with a stick while shouting racist insults. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon near the Superior Police Headquarters.
National Police agents have arrested an individual accused of attacking a homeless man of South American origin with a stick on a central street in Palma, while also hurling racist insults and insults against homeless people. The events took place last Friday afternoon when several calls to 091 alerted that a subject was hitting a homeless person near the Superior Police Headquarters.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers from the Citizen Attention Group (GAC) found the aggressor and the victim already separated. The victim explained that he had caught the other man rummaging through his belongings, which led to an argument. The suspect left and returned shortly after with a large stick, with which he began to hit him while shouting phrases like "We need to kill all the blacks and beggars!".
The police observed that the victim had abrasions and bruises, although he refused medical assistance and also did not want to file a complaint. However, several witnesses corroborated the assault and highlighted the racist and anti-homeless comments that the arrested individual had made. Following these testimonies, the individual was arrested for an alleged hate crime.
The hate crime, defined in Article 510 of the Spanish Penal Code, punishes acts that violate the dignity of individuals for racist, ethnic, national origin, or social exclusion reasons. Penalties can include imprisonment from one to four years and fines, as well as disqualification from professions related to education or sports.
This incident has generated shock among local residents, who have shown their solidarity with the victim. Social organizations working with homeless people in Palma have condemned the events and have reminded of the vulnerability of this group, especially when factors such as race or homelessness intersect.
The National Police have opened an investigation to clarify all the details of the assault and do not rule out that the arrested individual may have a history of similar incidents. For the moment, the arrested person remains in police custody awaiting judicial proceedings.
The Palma City Council has expressed its repulsion at what happened and reiterated its commitment to combating racial discrimination and social exclusion. Municipal sources have indicated that support will be offered to the victim to help him access housing and social care resources.
This case adds to other racist incidents recorded in Mallorca in recent months, prompting authorities to strengthen surveillance in areas with a high concentration of homeless people. Anti-racist associations have called for the full force of the law to be applied against the aggressor and for preventive measures to be implemented to prevent situations like this from recurring.
For now, the victim remains on the street, although municipal social services have contacted him to offer assistance. The investigation remains open and the arrested individual is expected to appear before a judge in the coming hours.
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