Photo: @AlbertoTarradas on X, 13 March 2025
The historic Catalan town of Salt has suffered two consecutive nights of riots following the arrest of a sub-Saharan imam. He had been evicted from a house he had illegally occupied for five years without paying rent. In response, immigrant groups and radical left-wing activists have vandalised property, attacked the police, set fire to dumpsters, and damaged urban infrastructure.
The first episode of violence occurred when around 200 people gathered in front of a local police station, throwing stones and eggs at the officers. The police deployed riot units to control the situation. The second night was even more intense, with hooded individuals attacking law enforcement, setting urban infrastructure on fire, and spreading chaos in the streets. The incidents resulted in six arrested, three of them minors, and one officer sustaining minor injuries.
The disturbances have affected public safety and heightened the sense of disorder in the municipality. Residents worry about these incidents becoming normal and the lack of effective deterrents. Rioters have openly boasted about their actions without fear of legal consequences.
Así están las calles de Salt, Girona, tras la detención de un imán que intentaba okupar una casa. pic.twitter.com/CBDIWwUJi9
— Wall Street Wolverine (@wallstwolverine) March 11, 2025
Salt City Council, led by the separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), has granted the evicted imam a social housing unit despite him failing to meet the established vulnerability requirements. The council defended the decision, claiming they wanted to avoid “fueling the far right,” but the move has sparked outrage among residents and criticism from the political opposition.
The local government, instead of condemning the riots, focussed on criticising evictions carried out by banks and investment funds. Many see this as siding with the rioters rather than supporting law enforcement and restoring order.
The decision has also raised concerns about fairness in allocating social housing, as many families in similar situations do not receive the same preferential treatment as the imam. People also worry that this concession could set a precedent, encouraging future violent demonstrations to pressure institutions into granting special benefits.
Salt residents have expressed their concerns about the increasing crime and violence in the municipality. Testimonies from some rioters have revealed the level of impunity with which certain groups act. “We are in Salt. Look at everything we’ve destroyed; we’ve shut down the streets, and no one can leave Salt,” one participant boasted.
Disturbios en Salt, Girona, tras la detención del imán de la mezquita por intentar okupar una vivienda.
— Wall Street Wolverine (@wallstwolverine) March 11, 2025
pic.twitter.com/vMgpM6iTcX
The situation in Salt reflects a broader issue in Catalonia, where a combination of unintegrated immigration, radical activism, and political permissiveness creates an increasingly volatile situation.
But it is just a symptom of a broader trend spreading across Europe. The welfare system cannot sustain the constant arrival of millions of immigrants across the continent. There is no political, social, or economic capacity to absorb such a large influx of people, leading to poverty, crime, and violent outbreaks like this one.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/salt-migrant-riots-imam-spain-catalonia/