Sandwich wars plague Madrid's vendor community

Madrid's fiercely entrepreneurial Chinese community is embroiled in a bitter "sandwich war" in which knife fights have erupted among rival clans competing to supply the city's night owls with snacks.

Chinese vendors of beer, cola and bulky sandwiches filled with scarlet sausage are a familiar sight to anyone in the city centre's streets in the early hours.

Sellers perch their modest wares on cardboard boxes and do a roaring trade, but have to keep an eye out for the police.

Within the city's tight-knit Chinese community there is a battle for the best pitches. At least four people have been stabbed this year as clans fight over street corners.

The vendors collect their food and drink from a central depot, and rush to a spot. When they sell out they return and reload.

If police approach, vendors sweep their wares into a plastic bag and pop it into a nearby rubbish bin, until the coast is clear.

They often work in pairs, one selling, the other on watch. They must pay clan bosses a "tax" on their earnings.

Their trade is illegal - street food sales are banned - but a vendor with a good pitch can make 200 ($352) a night.

- INDEPENDENT