A week or so ago, Íllora (western Granada) incenced with the killing of a young man, resulted in many townsfolk trashing the homes of the aggressor's relatives.

The 19-year-old victim was well liked around town and was a successful university student so the rage that spilled out when his senseless killing became known caused a riot.

The family and relatives of the man that allegedly killed him not only had their homes broken into and ransacked but cars belonging to them were tipped on their roofs and their windows smashed.

The clan to whom the arrested man belongs, had gone too far this time and the town was completely sick of them. As a direct consequence, the clan left town and only now some are returning to Íllora; 23 of them.

Yesterday the Sociedad Gitana Española in a communique stated that the said  families have pledged to “become model citizens, abidding by all norms of coexistence.” The statement went on to say that the police forces are developing “protection measures” around the family of the arrested man.

This return from having fled the town is a consequence of a joint statement last week from the Plataforma Nacional Derechos Humanos, La Congregación Religiosa Católica Fe y Esperanza and the Unión Esperanza Gitana por la Humanidad denouncing racism against these families and asking that they be allowed to return with police protection.

According to the communique from the Sociedad Gitana Española, they have set up a monitoring commission made up from members of gypsy organisations, which is in contact with the family, the police and public administrations in order to “guarantee the peace, welfare and coexistence.”

(Illora, Poniente de Granada, Andalucia)