Migrants attack Guardia Civil

GUARDIA CIVIL who intercepted a boat full of migrants were allegedly attacked with an anchor, club and petrol.

According to the police three men out of the boat’s 17 occupants, who included pregnant women and children, confronted officers as they attempted to detain the migrants.

The boat was off the coast of the Spanish African enclave of Melilla at the time. As the Guardia Civil launch pulled them over, two migrants jumped overboard and three attacked officers by brandishing the anchor, a club and throwing petrol at the police.

In a statement Spanish government officials said that the three alleged assailants were arrested for resisting arrest and assault, while the person in charge of the boat faces illegal immigration related charges.

The other 13 occupants of the boat were attended to by the Red Cross, which gave them a clean bill of health. Two officers were slightly hurt.

The Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta in Morocco have been targeted by thousands of migrants over the last few months trying to gain entry into Europe.