Five police officers reported injured in violence in Madrid

MADRID, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Five members of the Madrid Municipal Police force were reported injured in a further outbreak of violence in the neighborhood of Lavapies in downtown of Spanish capital Madrid on Wednesday night.

It followed violent protests in which six people were arrested and 20 injured on March 15 following the death of a Senegalese street vender Mame Mbaye.

Although Mbaye died of a heart attack, it had been originally reported that he suffered the heart attack while being pursued by the police, a claim that both the police and Madrid Town Hall have denied, but the incident has increased tension in the neighborhood with large immigrant population.

The Town Hall confirmed Wednesday's incidents happened as police were attempting to identify a Senegalese man who had threatened them.

The man was arrested, but others began throwing objects at the police, who suffered minor injuries.

The Madrid Municipal Police Force explained the incident happened when the agents "went to identify a person, who at first refused to cooperate and then attacked the agents. During the arrest other people began to throw various objects."

The Madrid Town Hall denies that Wednesday's incident is related to a demonstration on the same day held by the Association of Senegalese in Spain in memory of Mame Mbaye, in which around 1,000 people took part. Enditem