A young fascist was arrested in Cáceres for stabbing an antifascist protester in a city centre brawl during the early hours of Thursday morning. It seems that the cause of the trouble stems from an incident that occurred during a demonstration march held on the 15th November to condemn the death of a 16 year old antifascist protester, who was stabbed during a riot outside Legazpi Metro station in Madrid the previous Saturday.

The skirmish took place at around 2.30am yesterday morning after youths from both sides of the political divide squared up to each other in a bar in the Plaza Mayor. Both men were taken to San Pedro de Alcántara Hospital where the aggressor was subsequently taken into custody after receiving treatment for various cuts and bruises. His victim is reported to be in a stable condition.

This latest incident seems to confirm the most pessimistic predictions of the Spanish police who are fearing a chain reaction of tit-for-tat reprisals with further violent clashes involving groups of right and left-wing extremists expected this weekend.

It is estimated that a total of around 10,000 people belong to some kind of fascist organisation in Spain, which, while not enough to win direct political representation, police claim, is sufficient to create a real sense of public unease.

While it is difficult to estimate the total number of anti-establishment radicals owing to the confusing number of different groups - such as redskins, 'okupa' squatters, punks etc. - that comprise this movement, it is thought that, in Madrid alone, there may be as many 500 "truly violent" anarchists.

The best attended of a series of antifascist protests held recently was the one in Madrid last Saturday when around 2,000 took to the streets in an atmosphere of tense calm. Around 500 officers in riot gear kept a close watch on proceedings and successfully prevented a feared clash with Alianza Nacional fascist extremists, who had been banned from organising a counter-demonstration at the same time and place.

However, 22 regional police officers were injured on the same day in a running battle with anarchist gangs in Barcelona city centre, that led to five arrests.

Last Tuesday, four antifascist protesters were arrested in Granada after a similar clash.

The National Police's most immediate concerns centre around an antifascist protest - organised to coincide with today's AVT Terror Victims march in Madrid - which, despite having been banned, is still being actively promoted by the organisers both on the internet and by text message.