On Thursday evening, a large-scale brawl broke out between two groups of young people on a street in Parla, a suburb of Madrid. As a result of the clash, an 18-year-old man was hospitalized with serious head injuries. According to police, the conflict began after a group of young people of Latin American origin started boasting to peers of Maghreb descent that one of them had stolen a mobile phone. This provoked aggression and quickly escalated into a fierce fight involving knives and improvised weapons.
The confrontation unfolded on Fernando III el Santo street around nine in the evening. Police patrols quickly arrived at the scene after being called by concerned residents. Upon arrival, officers saw dozens of young people fleeing in panic in different directions. Some were carrying bricks, iron rods, and even large machetes. One participant tried to escape, covering his face and holding a large knife.
Police cordoned off the area and called for reinforcements to conduct a thorough search of the territory. During the search, a machete believed to have been used in the fight was found and seized nearby. On a parallel street, Reyes Católicos, officers spotted a young man bleeding heavily from the head. Paramedics arrived promptly and provided first aid, identifying a severe traumatic brain injury. The victim was then urgently transported to one of Madrid’s largest hospitals, where his condition is described as critical.
The investigation revealed that a significant number of young people were involved in the conflict, with both sides wielding not only knives but also sticks, stones, and metal objects. According to witnesses, the situation escalated within minutes, and attempts by some participants to break up the fight were unsuccessful. After police arrived, most of those involved fled the scene, but authorities are continuing to identify everyone connected to the incident.
The authorities of Parla have expressed concern over the rise in similar incidents among young people and are calling for stronger security measures in areas where mass brawls often occur. Additional raids and street patrols are expected in the near future to prevent such events from happening again.
