Son Gotleu residents warn it is going to become Majorca's answer to the Bronx

PALMA

THE President of the Son Gotleu Residents Association, Gines Quiñonero, warned Palma City Council yesterday that unless swift action is taken, the tense situation in the Palma neighbourhood “will end with shots being fired.” Son Gotleu was rocked by a major race riot between 1'000 gypsies and Nigerians last month and Quiñonero fears that the area is going be Majorca's “answer to the Bronx.” A series of meetings between the various communities which live in the neighbourhood have been held over the past few weeks to try and ease the tension and extra police have been placed on the Son Gotleu beat, Quiñonero says that Palma council is not doing enough. Councillor for Social Services, Eberhard Grosske yesterday announced that an agreement has been reached with the Balearic government to carry out a major reformation project in the area in order to improve living conditions and standards.

A new security operation is also going to be launched involving both the National and Local Police forces and the drugs squad. The race riot on the night of August 20 is believed to have been sparked by an argument over the ownership of a pair of sunglasses.