Clashes erupt in Polish city after death of local blamed on Arabs

The photo shows a diner in the northeastern Polish city of Elk that was earlier attacked by residents. (File photo)

Police in Poland's northeastern city of Elk have clashed with local residents who were protesting the death of a local man in an alleged dispute with foreigners of Arab descent.

A huge crowd attacked a diner in Elk and scuffled with police, throwing firecrackers and stones, local media reported on Sunday. Police arrested at least 25 of them.

The attack took place after a 21-year-old local resident, identified by media only as Daniel, was killed on Saturday night, allegedly by an Arab employee working at the diner, which is owned by a Pole.

Four employees have been arrested by police in an ongoing investigation. Local media have said the arrestees were of Tunisian, Moroccan, and Algerian descent.

Reports also said that the employees of the restaurant had gotten into a brawl with the deceased after he threw fireworks into the shop, later stabbing him to death.

Coroners are investigating the cause of his death.

The Sunday riot saw Elk residents gathering outside the diner and hurling projectiles toward the building, breaking the diner’s windows and equipment. The crowd then got into clashes with police, who moved in to contain the situation.

The mayor of the city issued a call “to calm and respect” the grief of the deceased man’s family.

The riot comes at a sensitive time for Europe, which is facing a massive refugee crisis. Asylum seekers have been arriving in the continent from conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa over the past couple of years. Incidents of violence blamed on the refugees are highly likely to stir up hostile public sentiments.

Anti-refugee feelings are already high in Germany and France, where previously obscure political movements have risen to prominence on a platform of opposing asylum seekers.