by A.P.
“Only a minimum of those who arrive are eligible for asylum,” says Javier A. González Vega, a political scientist at the University of Oviedo
The Canary Islands, specifically the island of Gran Canaria, have been on the brink of an outbreak of violence between locals and migrants. Since last autumn, thousands of refugees have been arriving on the island where they have been ever since due to the coronavirus pandemic. This, coupled with the European Union’s inability to solve the wider problem of migration, is leading to a major crisis, according to Focus weekly.
As the number of migrants increases, fierce and bloody skirmishes between locals and asylum seekers are occurring daily. The prosecutor’s office also is investigating a case in which locals on WhatsApp organized attacks against migrants, according to Novinky.cz.
There are currently about 11,000 migrants on the island, most of them living in the capital Las Palma as well as near Maspalomas, a tourist town in the south of the island. Locals say security on the island declined sharply due to migrants. However, the Spanish government rejects such claims and claims that data shows only 45 migrant-related crimes have taken place in the Canary Islands since November.
