PALMA
PEACE had appeared to have broken in the Son Banya shanty town yesterday after three tense days of violent clashes between residents and armed National Police .
The situation reached its peak on Wednesday night when fires raged around the village and police were bombed with Molotov cocktails and fireworks were fired at a National Police helicopter while the riot squad returned fire with tear gas.
The anti-drugs operation continued last night but tensions in the area appear to have calmed after a calm Friday night and a truce broken between the Son Banya residents and the police.
That said, the National Police road blocks around Son Banya continued last night as the authorities try to cut off demand for drugs in the shanty town which is allegedly home to the biggest drug dealers and traffickers in Majorca.
Flags claiming the gypsies of San Banya want a truce flapped over parts of the settlement yesterday while banners calling for controls for everyone, equal treatment not racism were hung from the walls encircling the neighbourhood.
Police have been stopping and turning back anyone not registered as a resident of Son Banya over the past three weekends, however some genuine residents not registered are being prevented from getting back to their homes and families and residents consider this unfair and sparked the violent clashes which have been repeated over the past few weeks.
But, the police anti-drugs operation was mounted again last night and, at going to press, it appeared that Son Banya residents wanted a quiet weekend and the police to allow Son Banya residents through the road blocks.