On such a sensitive date as the 1st of November, the discovery of small acts of arson in the municipal cemetery in Almuñécar has created a lot of indignation.

A total of 14 niches suffered varying degrees of damage during Halloween. There seems to be no order in the niches targeted, with it appearing to be more a random selection of targets.

But it wasn’t only fire damage because the culprits also smashed flower holders and small religious figures.

The Policía Local have begun investigating the occurrence but with so much transit within the cemetery on this day when there is a huge influx of family members to tend to the tombs of relatives, it is perhaps unlikely that they will find any clues.

Readers might remember that All Saints Day last year also saw acts of petty vandalism around town in the form of eggs thrown against shop windows, street litter bins and other street furniture broken.

This year the Guardia Civil and Policía Local took preventative measures by confiscating eggs, tins of paint and even air pistols from groups of youths. Even so, there were reports of cars being targeted with eggs as well as shops. The following morning it was almost impossible to walk 10 metres without seeing broken eggs on the pavement. One victim put pictures of his egged car on Facebook and later had his wing mirror broken off.

Editorial comment: It has been so sad watching this American version of Halloween take hold in Spain, with its ‘trick or treat’ mentality. Spain has Carnival, just as it has the Three Kings; it doesn’t need Halloween and Santa Klaus.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)