There have been previous incidents at Biniali's fiestas, though not of the nature of the one last week. | M. Julia

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It occurred last Friday and the incident is only now becoming widely known about. During the open-air street supper for the fiestas, a group of thirty teenagers, aged between 14 and 19, most of them from Alaro and Binissalem, chased a black youth. This led to tables and chairs being overturned, to residents panicking and seeking refuge inside the nearest houses.

The incident had been sparked off when an argument broke out between two youths, one of them, the black youth, breaking a bottle on the other one. The victim suffered concussion and an injury to one eye, and the attack led to the group of teenagers pursuing the aggressor, chanting racist abuse. At one point they entered a cul de sac where some fifteen couples, aged around 40 and 50, were having their open-air supper. Mayhem followed as tables were flung out of the way in the hunt for the aggressor.

The local police from Sencelles had mounted a special operation to attempt to prevent incidents among young people. (Although only a tiny place, Biniali has been the scene of problems in the past during the Saint Christopher fiestas.) All had seemingly been under control before the incident occurred.

The Guardia Civil in Inca is now in charge of the affair and is looking for the aggressor.