Muslims in the Spain’s town of Jumilla, Murcia, will no longer be able to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, their two biggest festivals, in civil centres, football fields, gyms and other public facilities.
The motion was introduced by the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and narrowly passed despite strong opposition.
The local authority’s ban, the first of its kind in Spain, has sparked outrage among Left-wing politicians in Jumilla and Islamic organisations.
Mounir Benjelloun Andaloussi Azhari, President of the Spanish federation of Islamic organisations, described the ban as “Islamophobic and discriminatory”.
“They’re not going after other religions, they’re going after ours,” he told El Pais newspaper.
“We’re rather surprised by what’s happening in Spain. For the first time in 30 years I feel afraid.”
The proposal reads “municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural or social activities alien to our identity unless organised by the local authority”.
Francisco Lucas, the socialist leader in the south-eastern region of Murcia, said the ban flew in the face of the Spanish constitution, hinting at a legal challenge.
“The PP violates the constitution and puts social cohesion at risk simply in the pursuit of power.” he said.
The order passed by one vote thanks to an abstention by the sole Vox councillor and the mayor’s casting vote.
The local Vox party posted on X: “Thanks to Vox, the first measure to ban Islamic festivals in Spain’s public places has been passed. Spain is and will be forever the land of Christian people.”
Juana Guardiola, a former socialist mayor of Jumilla, added: “What do they mean by identity? And what about the centuries of Muslim legacy here?”
Around 7.5 percent of Jumilla’s population of 27,000 come from Muslim countries.
Having been part of the Roman empire, Jumilla was conquered by the Berbers and Arabs in the eighth century. It remained a predominantly Arab town until it was taken by Christian troops led by Alfonso X of Castile in the mid-13th century.
The row comes as new figures revealed that Spain’s population hit a record number of nearly 50 million people, driven primarily by immigration.
Among the top nationalities arriving in Spain included those from Morocco and Algeria, both of which are predominantly Muslim countries.
Tens of thousands of immigrants also arrived from Spanish-speaking countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Honduras and Peru.
The surge in immigration has caused tensions in local communities, particularly in Murcia.
Last month, riots broke out in Torre Pacheco, around an hour from Jumilla, after reports that a pensioner had been attacked by immigrants.
The town, which is home to a large migrant population, saw 14 people arrested after armed groups took to the streets chanting “Deport Them Now”.
