Street vendors attack police again

The incident happened at 1.30pm in the Plaza Mayor.
The Local Police Force has this year mounted a special operation to crackdown on the growing number of street vendors, many of which are apparently illegal and yesterday, when two female Tourist Police officers approached the suspect in the square popular with tourists, the street vendor apparently reacted violently when asked to identify himself.

A scuffle broke out and one of the officers was apparently pushed to the ground before fleeing the scene.
Search operation
The officer suffered broken finger was treated in a local hospital while the Local Police mounted a massive search operation to locate and arrest the aggressor. But, the Local Police are fighting a battle against illegal street vendors on two fronts.

Special units have been set up in Palma and along the Playa de Palma where police are having to deal with a serious problem.
On Wednesday afternoon, a gang of street vendors apparently assaulted a Local Police officer while he was on patrol and keeping an eye on the activities of the street vendors.

According to various eye witnesses, at about 1.30pm, the Police Officer stopped a street vendor and asked him for his identification.
However, the suspect refused to cooperate with the authorities and an argument broke out, during which the street vendor apparently punched the Police Officer, knocking him to the floor.

Local shopkeepers and residents rushed to the officer's aid and called the police and an ambulance.
Scores of Local and National Police rushed to the scene and the injured officers was taken to a Palma hospital suffering minor bruising.
However, a number of local traders told the police that tensions have been rising lately and that many of them have been threatened by the street vendors and they want more police.