Violence at Vox rally sees left and right blaming each other

The campaign for regional elections in Madrid on 4 May is seeing strong ideological campaigning by the more extreme right-wing and left-wing parties as expected.

On Wednesday this week, the campaign launch of hard-right Vox in the working-class district of Vallecas turned violent. Media showed confrontations between attendees, police and protesters supported by left-wing parties.

According to most sources, a group of anti-fascist demonstrators had gathered ahead of the launch and began throwing stones and objects at Vox members. Leaders of anti-capitalist party Podemos hit back, blaming Vox for having provoked the tension in order to win votes in more supportive areas of the city.

An official opinion poll this week showed that parties on the left and on the right, including the more moderate ones, would each win half the seats based on their current support.