Imam calls for calm after unrest over his eviction

The imam evicted from his home in Salt last week has called for calm following violent protests in the city, close to Girona in northern Catalonia. 

Imam Kalilu Diwara from the Ahlu-Sunna mosque in Salt said that the recent unrest did not represent his community and urged young people to refrain from further demonstrations.

Diwara explained that he had contacted all members of the mosque to send a clear message asking them not to take to the streets.

"I completely oppose what happened and I don’t want anyone to go out and protest, and I certainly don’t want the situation to escalate," he said.

On Monday, approximately 150 people gathered outside Salt police station, throwing stones and eggs.

The mosque's secretary, Omar Balde, emphasized that they have "always been supportive" of the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police, including on Monday, when Diwara had gone to the police station himself in an attempt to calm protesters.

Balde also criticized reports suggesting that Diwara had encouraged followers to go to his flat and to the police station. The mosque is now urging "the young people" who confronted police on Tuesday night "not to repeat this behavior."

The mosque secretary acknowledged "the problem" caused by the imam's eviction along with his family, including a young child "only five years old." He stressed that the issue should be resolved through the local council but emphasized that it is "unacceptable" for a family with four minors to be left homeless "regardless of where they come from."

Nonetheless, he reiterated that the riots "are not the solution" and, like Diwara, called for peace and calm.

"Nothing to do with it"

Earlier, Diwara's daughter, Henda Diwara, also sought to clarify that her family had "nothing to do" with the incidents.

She shared a statement her father had sent on Tuesday before the protests, urging people not to protest his eviction and to avoid further unrest.

"If you watch the videos circulating on social media, you won’t see any member of my family. You only see children who think this is a game," she said.

Housing union calls for end to "police violence"

The Salt Housing Union called for an end to "police violence" in the area following two nights of unrest.

The group criticized the Mossos d'Esquadra expressing "strong opposition to the police abuse exercised by the security forces against a family with four minors who were trying to exercise their right to housing."

As a result, they are once again demanding "immediate solutions" and highlighting that there are over 1,800 apartments in Salt owned by "large property holders."

The union also criticized the local council, accusing them of "incompetence."