Spain: racist murder charge
01 January 1991
Spain: racist murder charge
artdoc May=1993
A 25-year-old civil guard, Luis Merino Perez, has been charged
with the murder of the 33-year-old Dominican woman, Lucrecia
Perez. Three other youths, including one who wore the blue shirt
of Franco's fascists, have also been arrested.
Lucrecia Perez was shot dead when four masked gunmen burst into
her home, a squat in a disused disco in Aravaca, a residential
neighbourhood of Madrid. According to police sources, the Guard
and the youths had been drinking in a Madrid bar before deciding
to `give the blacks a fright'.
At first neo-nazi groups were suspected, but the use of a nine-
millimetre parabellum bullet, pointed to the military. Dominican
organisations have also criticised the police for attempting, in
the initial stages, to attribute the murder to a feud between
immigration mafias. Shortly after the shooting, four neo-nazis
were arrested in Madrid for painting slogans such as `Lucrecia,
fuck yourself'.
Dominicans living in the Four Roses discotheque also say that
before the murder they had received death threats. And Dominican
organisations say that the killing was not an isolated incident.
Over the previous months, residents of the neighbourhood had
attempted to prevent the weekly meetings of Dominicans in a
square near the disco, spreading false accusations against the
Dominican community, as well as publishing a pamphlet calling for
`direct action' against foreigners (Independent 4.12.92, El Pais
15.11.92, El Pais 20.11.92, El Pais 28.11.92).
*There are over 15,000 Dominicans in Spain, eight out of ten are
women, the majority of whom work as domestic servants.
Information on second murder suppressed
Four men have been arrested following the murder by skinheads of
a 25-year-old Moroccan, Hassan al Yahahaqui, in the suburb of
Majadohonda, north-west of Madrid on 14 November.
Concern has been expressed about the way the police attempted
to suppress information concerning the murder, which occurred
only a day after that of Lucrecia Perez. The justification one
of the youths gave for the murder was that Hassan had `refused
to get out of the way' (Guardian 30.11.92, Independent 14.12.92).
Further attacks
Police are investigating neo-nazi youth circles in Palencia,
following an arson attempt on the home of two Dominicans.
Meanwhile, in Madrid, Shokry Mohamed, an Egyptian dancer, had
both legs broken when he was pushed off an embankment by two
youths, thought to be participating in the annual Franco
anniversary celebrations (El Pais 24.11.92).
The Major of Cervera, near Lerida, has warned of the spread of
racism after nazi graffiti was scrawled all round the town (El
Pais 27.11.93).
Police measures against `illegal immigrants'
Rafael Vera, Secretary of State Security, has ordered the police
to use all legal resources against illegal immigrants (El Pais
7.11.92). Spain has also entered into an agreement with Morocco
whereby Moroccan police, army, navy and helicopters are used to
patrol the Moroccan coast so as to `prevent both illegal
immigration and the trade in drugs' (El Pais 24.11.92).
IRR European Race Audit no 2 1992. Contact: Liz Fekete, Institute
of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS Tel: ++ 071
837 0041