The conservative People's Party (PP) in Jumilla, a town in southeastern Spain, has passed a motion banning Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms for religious celebrations, including Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The ban, the first of its kind in Spain, was approved with the abstention of the far-right Vox party and opposition from left-wing parties.
The motion states that municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural, or social activities 'alien to our identity' unless organised by the local authority. Vox celebrated the decision on social media, posting: '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, called the proposal 'Islamophobic and discriminatory'. He told El País: 'They’re not going after other religions, they’re going after ours. For the first time in 30 years I feel afraid.' Jumilla has a population of about 27,000, with 7.5% originating from largely Muslim countries.
The decision is expected to face legal challenges as it appears to contravene Article 16 of the Spanish constitution, which guarantees freedom of ideology, religion, and worship. Francisco Lucas, the socialist leader in Murcia, accused the PP of violating the constitution and risking social cohesion. Former socialist mayor Juana Guardiola questioned the notion of 'identity', noting the town's centuries of Muslim heritage under Arab rule until the 13th century.
