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A far-right group called Hogar Social Madrid Ramiro Ledesma (Ramiro Ledesma Madrid Social Home) set off flares and hung a banner on a bridge over Madrid's main M30 motorway, opposite the Spanish capital's main mosque, known as the "M30 mosque".
The banner read "Today Brussels, Tomorrow Madrid?" and the group said on its Twitter account that the protest was an "act against radical islamism". On its Facebook page, HSM described the protest as being "against islamic terrorism".
Ahora Madrid, the political party that controls Madrid City Hall, issued a statement saying "the response to terror must be solidarity and not fear of the other", and tweeted that "they are not going to criminalise the muslim community. We fight together against terrorism. Co-existence = safe cities".
Police later sent two patrol cars to guard the bridge.
Ramiro Ledesma was the founder of one of the three fascist groups that later became the Falange Española de las JONS prior to the Spanish Civil War, which Franco would later take control of.