Five arrested over racist assault that fractured Moroccan man's jaw in Valencia
Five people were arrested following a racist attack on a 31-year-old Moroccan bricklayer who suffered a triple fracture of the jaw during patron saint festivities in Tavernes de la Valldigna.
Racist assault at Tavernes de la Valldigna festivities
A group of young people brutally assaulted Mohamed M., a 31-year-old Moroccan bricklayer, during the patron saint festivities of Tavernes de la Valldigna (Valencia) on the night of 19 September, according to The Olive Press. The victim was beaten repeatedly for at least five minutes by a group that shouted xenophobic slogans at him whilst kicking him.
Videos shared on social media documented the moment when the mob beat Mohamed whilst shouting at him "to Morocco, to Morocco" and "son of a bitch". The assault only ended when several women intervened; one of them placed herself between the victim and his attackers.
Serious injuries requiring surgery
Mohamed was taken urgently to the Clínico Hospital in Valencia with a triple fracture of the jaw. The injury required surgical intervention and the fitting of a prosthesis that he will likely have to wear for life. He spent ten days hospitalised and was barely able to open his mouth after the operation. According to a statement he made through a friend to El País, Mohamed indicated that the attackers began beating him without any provocation.
Arrests and judicial proceedings
The Guardia Civil arrested three adult men and two male minors in connection with the attack. The detainees were captured on Wednesday and Thursday, and the three adults were to appear before a judge on Friday accused of serious assault and a hate crime. Most of the suspects are local residents of Tavernes de la Valldigna, a town of approximately 18,000 inhabitants situated 55 kilometres from the provincial capital.
A second separate incident the same night
Minutes before the assault on Mohamed, a 20-year-old man of Senegalese origin was attacked by several people in the same location. The victim also required surgery for a fractured jaw. However, the Guardia Civil clarified that both incidents are not related: they involved different alleged perpetrators and different motives. According to local police, a charge of hate crime has not been filed in relation to the second assault.
Source: The Olive Press