Three Torrevieja Local Police officers were injured during a violent confrontation with a group of illegal street vendors on the town’s seafront promenade.
The incident took place last Thursday evening during a routine police operation targeting the unauthorised sale of suspected counterfeit goods. Footage of the confrontation later appeared on social media, showing scenes of considerable tension as additional officers arrived at the scene.
According to Torrevieja’s Councillor for Security, Police and Emergencies, Federico Alarcón, the disturbance began when an officer approached one of the vendors during the operation.
The man allegedly became aggressive, assaulted the officer and shouted insults and death threats. The officer suffered a split lip.
Police reinforcements were quickly called to the area. During the ensuing struggle, another person allegedly seized an officer’s baton and used it to attack him. A third officer was also injured during the confrontation.
Four Civil Guard patrols subsequently arrived to support the Local Police. Arrests were reportedly made, although the council has not confirmed how many people were detained or whether formal charges have been filed.
Council Demands More Civil Guard Support
The incident has renewed calls from Torrevieja City Council for a stronger and more permanent Civil Guard presence in the municipality.
Alarcón said the confrontation was not an isolated event and argued that national security resources had failed to keep pace with the city’s rapid population growth and seasonal influx of visitors.
The council has repeatedly asked the Government Subdelegation in Alicante and the wider Government Delegation to increase the number of Civil Guard officers assigned to Torrevieja.
Alarcón said staffing shortages meant that the Local Police were frequently required to take on duties connected with illegal street trading and counterfeit merchandise, despite already facing significant demands involving traffic control, public safety and emergency response.
“Incidents like these cannot be tolerated,” he said, adding that police officers, residents, shopkeepers and restaurant owners had become increasingly frustrated by recurring problems involving illegal street sales.
The seafront promenade is one of Torrevieja’s busiest areas, particularly during the summer, attracting thousands of residents and tourists each evening. The presence of unauthorised vendors has long generated complaints from licensed businesses, which argue that they face unfair competition while complying with taxes, employment regulations and product-safety requirements.
The latest confrontation is expected to increase pressure on the national authorities to provide additional personnel and improve coordination between the Local Police and the Civil Guard during the peak tourist season.
