A local authority in south-east Spain has implemented a controversial ban preventing Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms to celebrate religious festivals, including Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, prompting accusations of discrimination and Islamophobia.
The decision, passed in the town of Jumilla in the Murcia region, marks the first such move in Spain and was introduced by the conservative People’s Party (PP), while the far-right Vox party abstained and left-wing parties voted in opposition.
The measure stipulates that municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural or social activities deemed unrelated to the town’s identity unless organised by the local authority, effectively restricting Muslim groups from independently hosting community celebrations.
Vox welcomed the development as a step towards asserting Christian cultural dominance in Spain, while Muslim organisations criticised the move as a targeted attack on Islamic practices and warned that it sets a dangerous precedent for religious freedom in the country.
“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,” a local Vox party X post said.
Critics noted that the measure appears to focus exclusively on Muslim observances rather than applying broadly to all religious groups, fuelling concerns of selective enforcement and undermining constitutional protections.
Jumilla, with a population of approximately 27,000, includes a 7.5% minority originating from largely Muslim countries, and the ban has sparked fears among community leaders who believe such policies may embolden further discrimination and racial rhetoric.
Political leaders from the Socialist Party have condemned the move, arguing that it violates Article 16 of the Spanish constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and worship unless public order is at stake.
Former local officials and historians also questioned the definition of “identity” used to justify the measure, noting that Jumilla itself carries a deep-rooted Islamic legacy dating back to the Arab conquest in the eighth century.
The town, once known as Yumil-la, remained under Arab rule for centuries and only came under Christian control after an agreement with Alfonso X of Castile, which initially pledged to uphold the rights of the Muslim population before being overturned following his death.
The ban is expected to face legal scrutiny, as opponents prepare to challenge it in the courts, arguing that it contradicts Spain’s democratic principles and threatens social cohesion in a diverse and historically multicultural region.