Spain riots: Several injured as anti-migrant protests erupt in Spanish town video shared online showed pensioner 'assaulted by Moroccan men'

A series of protests took place in Torre Pacheco over the weekend after the attack was captured on film and shared online. Dramatic images from the town showed how groups armed with batons and fireworks clashed with police.

Local media reports claimed protesters were "actively searching" for foreigners. The protests left several people injured.

The 68-year-old victim told Spanish media he was beaten in the street on Wednesday by three young men of North African origin. An initial demonstration had been organised outside Torre Pacheco's town hall on Friday.

Then, anti-migrant fury broke out - with armed groups coming together in the streets of the town. One group, called "Deport Them Now" posted messages on social media calling for attacks against people of North African origin.

Spanish authorities have appealed for calm following the violent unrest. The town's mayor, Pedro Angel Roca Ternel, told RTVE television: "I call on residents to be calm, for tranquillity."

Nearly a third of Torre-Pacheco’s population is of foreign origin, according to local government data. The area surrounding the town, which is located in the Murcia region, also hosts large numbers of migrants who work as day laborers in agriculture, one of the pillars of the regional economy.