2015 Manzulo Riots

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2015 Manzulo Riot
Location Manzulo, Narsora
Date July 5, 2015 - July 14, 2015
Type Riot
Deaths 9
Injuries 195 (Including 15 officers & 1 MPO)
Arrested 105
Charged 22
Parties to the civil conflict
Motives Xenophobia towards immigrants.
Numbers
  • 1,500-2,300 Police
  • 300 Military Police
  • 1,500-3,000 rioters

The 2015 Manzulo Riot was a nine day racial/anti-immigrant riot that took place in the city of Manzulo between July 5-14, 2015.

Background

Manzulo is the second largest city in Narsora by population at around 4,633,720 as of 2015, and has had a large immigrant population since it's incorporation in 1963. Although Narsorans are known as generally hospitable, the ethnic diversity of the the city has at times lead to clashes between national citizens and immigrants most notably just seven-months prior during the 2014 Mauwul Riots.

Riot

The riot began as a generally peaceful protest by an anti-immigration group known as People's Movement Against Immigration (PMAI). The protest turned violent when a member of the group began arguing with a man later identified as 56-year old Alexei Polzin and using racial epithets towards him, Polzin then punched the man and in the ensuing chaos he was murdered. Violence began occurring as mobs of looters began vandalizing foreign business and attacking immigrants. From the 6th to the 12th the situation deteriorated with the involvement of a local anarchist group known as the Brigada Roja (Red Brigade) who proved to be among the most violent group in the ordeal. On the 10th as injuries to police and innocent civilians mounted, President Sandalio Espina declared a state of emergency and authorized the army's 91st Military Police Brigade to attempt to control the situation. On the 11th, 300 military police officers were deployed to the Ārzemnieks neighborhood (where the riot began) and at various locations in the city center and 40 people were arrested. On the 12th military police officer Cpl.Aarón Ruiz was injured after two men attacked a NRC news crew reporting from Uaníaca Railway Station, with bricks, then attempted to run them over with a vehicle; both of the men were shot and killed. On the 12th, the situation stabilized and two days later most violent incidences stopped.

Aftermath

9 deaths, 195 injuries, 105 arrests and an estimated NRD$44.2 million (NSD$23 Million) in damages were recorded during the riot. Attacks on Torisakian owned businesses were particularly violent with three of the nine deaths being torisakians. Like the Mauwul Riots seven months earlier, the government was criticized for it's inability to maintain control and for some of methods used by security forces to control the unrest. President Sandalio Espina's approval rating dropped to 65% in August 2015. 22 people were charged in early-September 2015 with sentences ranging from 3-months to life imprisonment for 30-year old Javier Romà for the murder of Alexei Polzin. A city-wide state of emergency was declared from July 10 to the end of the month and troops stayed in the Ārzemnieks neighborhood until May 1st.