Periana residents show solidarity following spate of violence

Protests

Around 1,500 residents from the Axarquía town took to the streets on Monday 1 June to voice their opposition to the “assaults, threats and incidents of insecurity” which, they claim, have been disrupting community life for months

Eugenio Cabezas

Around 1,500 residents from Periana in the Axarquía area of Malaga province took to the streets on Monday 1 June to voice their opposition to the “assaults, threats and incidents of insecurity” which, they claim, have been disrupting community life for months.

The march wound its way through several streets in the town centre, with placards bearing messages such as “against assaults and threats”, “Enough is enough, yes to peaceful coexistence” and “Periana is a peaceful town”.

The protest, organised following several recent incidents of violence, was marked by shouts of “out, out of the village”, referring to a group of around a dozen people, of Spanish and foreign origin, who residents describe as “very disruptive”. According to residents interviewed by SUR, some of these individuals have allegedly been squatting in a number of properties in the town for months.

The mayor of Periana, Meritxell Vizuete (PSOE), read out a manifesto asking for more Guardia Civil officers. The town has a Guardia Civil station which also covers several neighbouring towns and villages. Periana, which is home to around 3,300 people, also has two Local Police officers.

“Periana is a peaceful, quiet town but for some years now we have had some very unpleasant situations and residents are afraid to report incidents for fear of reprisals,” the mayor explained to SUR. Vizuete stated that the town has witnessed “incidents that have disrupted our community life, including threats, assaults and situations that have caused fear and uncertainty among many residents”.

“No one should have to feel unsafe,” added the mayor during the reading of the manifesto. Vizuete argued that Periana “has always been a town of hard-working, honest and supportive people”, capable of facing difficulties “through unity, respect and dignity”.

The final straw for local residents was a incident on Sunday 31 May allegedly provoked by two residents who the victims described as "very problematic". According to sources the incident is believed to have started as a result of a misunderstanding and ended with a woman who was accompanied by her young daughters and had stepped in to mediate being hit.

A hearing was held on Monday at a court in Vélez-Málaga, following which a restraining order was issued requiring the alleged assailants to stay 500 metres away from the two victims. Furthermore, proceedings have been initiated for a criminal trial to take place in the coming months, according to the same sources.

The tension arising from these events spilled over into Sunday night as well, when, following the assaults, a confrontation broke out between neighbours and the alleged assailants. During these incidents, a car was overturned in the street, an episode that has further heightened concern in the Axarquía town.

Residents have also reported a spate of burglaries, with around ten incidents, particularly during the recent San Isidro Labrador festival. They also point out that the same couple allegedly involved in Sunday’s assault were involved in another attack on a neighbour in August 2025, which the victim did not report for fear of reprisals.

All political parties represented at Periana town hall attended the demonstration and the mayor and the deputy mayor, Javier Segarra, shared a message on social media stating that they were present to show, “in a united and peaceful manner”, their rejection of the threats the town has been facing.

“Periana is a town of harmony, respect and solidarity,” read the official statement issued by the town hall. It emphasised the need to speak out “in defence of the values that unite us” and summed up the protest with a clear slogan: “Periana says enough is enough: no to threats, yes to harmony”.

Opposition PP spokesperson Ángela Luque, who was also at the demonstration, told SUR that "the situation has been exacerbated in recent years by a lack of police and Guardia Civil resources". She called on the central government's representatives in Malaga province to “take note” of the residents’ outcry and adopt measures to calm tensions.

The PP has also pointed out that trade unions estimate the shortfall in police officers in the province of Málaga at over 1,200, comprising some 700 national police officers and around 550 Guardia Civil officers. For the PP, bolstering security in inland towns is essential to guaranteeing freedom, harmony and normality in towns like Periana.