Spanish town bans ‘alien’ religious celebrations in public venues

LONDON: A town in Spain has banned Muslims from celebrating religious festivals in public areas.

Jumilla, in Murcia, has a population of about 27,000, of whom 7.5 percent come from Muslim countries.

The ban was passed by the conservative People’s Party, and backed by the far-right Vox party, weeks after the nearby town of Torre Pacheco saw anti-migrant unrest.

Under the ban, public facilities cannot be used for “religious, cultural or social activities alien to our identity” unless approved by local authorities. It includes the use of sports halls and community centers, and applies to celebrations including Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.

Vox 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.”