Outrage as Spanish town bans Muslim festivals after migrant protests

A Spanish town has banned Muslim celebrations in public spaces “in defence against foreign customs” after anti-migrant unrest.

The right-wing town council of Jumilla, in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain, prompted an outcry when it approved the regulation that effectively enforces the ban.

The council is governed by the conservative Popular Party (PP), with the support of populist right-wing Vox party. The amendment, adopted at the end of July, prohibits the use of municipal facilities for non-sporting activities unless they are explicitly promoted by the town hall.

Jumilla, a town of approximately 27,000‑inhabitants, is near Torre Pacheco where, last month, there were attacks on people of North African origin after three Moroccan youths allegedly attacked an elderly man.

The decision targets Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha, two of the most significant Muslim holidays, usually observed by about 1,500 Muslims in civic centres and sports halls in Jumilla. The ban stops short of mentioning Islam directly but the legislation and Vox made its aim clear.

The amendment says that it urges the promotion of “activities, campaigns, and cultural proposals that defend our identity and protect traditional religious values and expressions in our country”.

The Vox party said on X: “Thanks to Vox the first measure to ban Islamic festivals in Spain’s public spaces has been passed. Spain is and will be forever the land of Christian people.”

Mounir Benjelloun Andaloussi Azhari, president of the Spanish federation of Islamic organisations, told El País newspaper that the proposal was “Islamophobic and discriminatory”, saying: “They’re not going after other religions, they’re going after ours.”

Referring to the recent rise of racist rhetoric and attacks, he added: “We’re rather surprised by what’s happening in Spain. For the first time in 30 years, I feel afraid.”

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Critics argue that the ban violates the Spanish constitution, which guarantees freedom of ideology, religion and worship. The Spanish government has said that it will investigate the legality of the ban, monitor potential hate speech in Jumilla and ensure that freedom of worship is guaranteed.

Miguel Tellado, the PP’s secretary-general, said his party respected all religions and that the issue was under review, but he did not disavow the measure.

El País published an editorial titled: “Jumilla: institutional Islamophobia.” It characterised the ban as “an attack on fundamental rights and a distortion of Spain’s cultural identity, which historically includes Muslim and Jewish influences”.

Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism, is the majority faith in Spain and the one with the greatest influence in institutions.

The Catholic Bishops of Spain warned on Thursday that restrictions on worship violated “the fundamental rights of every human being, and do not affect just one religious group, but all religious denominations” as well as non-believers. They added: “Implementing these restrictions for religious reasons is discrimination that cannot occur in democratic societies.”