A local authority in south-east Spain has banned Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms to celebrate the religious festivals Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha.
The ban in Jumilla, in Murcia, is a first in Spain. It was introduced by the conservative People’s party (PP) and passed with the abstention of the far-right Vox party and the opposition of local leftwing parties.
The proposal states “municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural or social activities alien to our identity unless organised by the local authority”.
The local Vox party posted 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 the proposal was “Islamophobic and discriminatory”.
“They’re not going after other religions, they’re going after ours,” he said. 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.”
Jumilla has a population of about 27,000, of whom 7.5% come from largely Muslim countries.
The decision is bound to be challenged as it contravenes article 16 of the Spanish constitution, which states: “Freedom of ideology, religion and worship of individuals and communities is guaranteed, with no other restriction on their expression than may be necessary to maintain public order as protected by law”.
Francisco Lucas, the socialist leader in Murcia, said on X: “The PP violates the constitution and puts social cohesion as risk simply in the pursuit of power.”
Juana Guardiola, a former socialist mayor of Jumilla, said: “What do they mean by identity? And what about the centuries of Muslim legacy here?”
Jumilla was part of the Roman empire until the Arab conquest in the eighth century. As Yumil-la it remained a principally Arab town for centuries until it was attacked by Christian troops led by Alfonso X of Castile in the mid-13th century.
The local Arab ruler reached an agreement, known as the capitulations of Alcatraz, under which Alfonso could be king as long as the rights of the existing population were respected. However, shortly after Alfonso’s death Castile invaded Jumilla, ending Arab rule.
