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Mayor regrets in Spain's latest racism row

Source: Arab News - Sat 24th May 2014
Mayor regrets in Spain's latest racism row

A Spanish mayor has apologised after being accused of racism by Romanian immigrants for a foul-mouthed tirade against thieves, the latest in a recent string of race scandals in Spain.

The row spiced up campaigning on Friday for the May 25 European elections. It also followed earlier race controversies involving a Barcelona football player and a Jewish basketball team.

Mayor Josu Bergara was recorded in a meeting last year boasting that he had made sure "the scum no longer come" to his northern town of Sestao, in what was taken as a dig at Romanians.

Five Romanian families lodged a complaint against him in court, accusing him of illegally refusing to register them as residents in the Basque town. They submitted a video of his outburst as evidence of racism to support their case, said the campaign group SOS Racismo, which aided the families.

Five Romanian families lodged a complaint against him in court, accusing him of illegally refusing to register them as residents in the Basque town. They submitted a video of his outburst as evidence of racism to support their case, said the campaign group SOS Racismo, which aided the families.

"The scum no longer come to Sestao. I make sure they leave, by thumping them," he was recorded saying at a meeting in June 2013.

Bergara, of the conservative Basque Nationalist Party, apologised on Thursday after the video was broadcast by media covering the court case.

He said he had been referring to "delinquents" in general, not Romanians in particular as the plaintiffs alleged.

"I acknowledge that the comments that have come to light were inappropriate. We want Sestao to be a multicultural, hard-working and civil place," he said.

"We cannot allow people to come here to rob. In the video I was referring to delinquents and antisocial people," he added.

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