Spain’s capital is grappling with the aftermath of violent unrest following the death of an African street vendor who had been running away from police. The death, and the clashes between riot police and protesters that followed in a central Madrid neighbourhood, cast a spotlight on the situation of a large community of undocumented migrants. Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena on Friday announced a “thorough investigation” into the death of the man. According to city officials, he was treated for a cardio-respiratory arrest that happened an unspecified time after he escaped a police crackdown on informal street sales on Thursday.

For å si det kort: En afrikansk mann, som er i Spania ulovlig, dør av hjerteproblemer etter å ha rømt fra politiet for en kriminell handling han definitivt har begått. Hva skjer? Jo, det afrikanske miljøet går bananas og begynner å brenne ned byen.

Det kanskje mest oppsiktsvekkende er at gruppen som representerer ham virker nesten klinisk ute av stand til å føle skam:

[…] Cheikh Ndiaye, the president of AISE, an association of Senegalese migrants in Spain, who referred to the death as “a racist attack” and a “violent criminal act of the state”.

Malick Gueye, a representative of the Madrid Hawkers and Tinkers Union, said the vendors face increasing police abuse.