Angry words and blood in the Spanish streets

22 November 2007

Madrid - A court in Zaragoza sentenced on Friday two men to four years and 10 months in prison for racially motivated attacks on two men - one from Ghana, the other from Portugal.

The attacks took place on March 25, 2006 in downtown Zaragoza. The assailants, identified as Gari M. C., a 25-year-old from Barcelona and Miguel Ángel H. L., a 26-year-old from Sabadell, beat up the Ghanian national with a stick and broke his nose. Two hours later they attacked the Portuguese man, causing him eye injuries.

The court has determined that there is ample evidence that these were racist crimes. According to evidence put before the court, the attackers threatened and insulted their victims with racist abuse.

The two men also reportedly screamed at the police agents who arrested them: "You defend a damn black before a Spaniard!"