Artà councillor is targetted by arsonist

An attempt was made to burn down the house of Artà councillor Julen Adrián, and the Guardia Civil are investigating. The councillor had received threats in the past. Adrian belongs to the United Left-Greens (EU-EV) coalition, and all the political parties have condemned the action. No members of the family were injured, but considerable material damage was caused to the house. The councillor said he believed that the attack was because of his opposition to infractions of the planning bylaws and his fight for the natural park of Llevant, which covers a large part of the Artà peninsula. The Guardia Civil said that such an attack was unheard of in the town's recent history. The councillor's home is in Calle Teulera, close to the theatre. He and his wife said that they woke up at 3.30am yesterday morning to see flames in the street which almost reached the first floor. Then they realised that the mat at the entrance and the shutters were on fire. Their two children, aged two and eight, were sleeping on the second floor, and their room was filled with smoke. Adrian said that he and neighbours tried to put out the fire with water and blankets and they found a mixture of petrol and oil in the street. Minister Eberhard Grosske and other members of Adrian's party travelled to Artà to show their support, and the fire was condemned by the Balearic government, although the conservation Popular Party blocked a move for Parliament to condemn it, alleging that it was not yet known if the fire was for political reasons. Last year, Adrian's car was defaced by paint and last month he received a death threat and was pursued through the streets by a car.