The National police yesterday continued with their investigation in to Monday's clash between police and rioters on the Son Banya estate outside Palma. Four police officers were injured during the violent confrontation and shots were fired, police sources confirmed yesterday. Police are trying to identify those involved in the fracas, during which ten police vehicles were also seriously damaged. The alarm was raised after a stolen car was reported to be heading in the direction of Mercapalma, near the airport, and the vehicle was subsequently spotted by a Local police patrol being driven on to the Son Banya estate. National and Local police mounted a joint operation (for years Son Banya has been a no-go zone for the police, unless in force) to catch the two car thieves who fled on foot after spotting the police patrol. They were both arrested, but police intervention sparked a violent response from fellow residents in Son Banya. Police were quickly surrounded by a large number of people who, according to police used threatening behaviour verbally abusing the police and demanding for the two suspects to be released. Officers at the scene radioed for reinforcements, but the crowd started pelting them with missiles and the windscreen of a squad car was smashed. It was at this point that one of the surrounded officers fired two shots in to the air in an attempt to try and ease the situation but the shots had the opposite effect and escalated as extra police units reached the scene and a pitched battle broke out.
Police investigate Son Banya battle
15/08/2001 00:00
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