A clash erupted in the early hours of last Tuesday in Can Pastilla, Palma, involving around 15 employees from two nearby supermarkets. The confrontation escalated to the use of fighting sticks and knives, leaving many injured and leading to six people being taken into custody. Initial reports point to commercial rivalry as the likely trigger, with the tension arising from one store opening directly opposite the other, intensifying a competitive rivalry that affected workers and management alike.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday after a series of warnings flagged a large street brawl. About fifteen individuals attacked each other with improvised weapons as police units rushed to the scene and quickly separated the two factions. The parties involved were identified as the teams and owners of two supermarkets situated on the same street, directly facing one another, suggesting that proximity may have amplified the conflict.
Participants bore bruises, lacerations, and damaged clothing, and ambulance crews were summoned to assist the injured before transporting them to various medical facilities. Eyewitnesses to the clash provided statements to authorities, describing how one shop had opened directly in front of the other, a factor that likely sparked the dispute. Some workers reported receiving threats while others claimed that one side had been attacked and that supporters had come to defend them. The ensuing altercation escalated into a broader confrontation in which several weapons, including a large knife, a utility knife, two wooden sticks, and an iron bar, were employed. The group primarily comprised men aged 23 to 48, with all individuals identified as Indian nationals. Police moved quickly to detain six principal participants, and investigations continued to determine the exact sequence of events and any underlying motives, including the role of competition in the incident. The episode is currently under review by the local authorities, with authorities pledging to pursue appropriate legal actions based on the findings of their inquiries.