The proposal was introduced by the conservative People's Party (PP) and passed with the abstention of the right-wing Vox party. Left-wing parties in the region opposed the move.
The new rule prohibits the use of facilities like municipal gyms and civic centers for events that are not organized by the local government or that are considered outside of what officials describe as “our identity.” According to the approved text: "Municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural or social activities alien to our identity unless organised by the local authority."
Vox publicly took credit for the measure. The party’s local branch posted on social media: "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."
Muslim groups have condemned the measure. Mounir Benjelloun Andaloussi Azhari, President of the Spanish Federation of Islamic Organisations, called the ban "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."
Critics say the decision could be in violation of Spain’s constitution. Article 16 guarantees freedom of religion and ideology, as long as its expression does not threaten public order, reports The Guardian.
Francisco Lucas, a regional socialist leader in Murcia, said the policy "violates the constitution and puts social cohesion at risk simply in the pursuit of power."
Former Jumilla mayor Juana Guardiola also pushed back against the decision, saying: "What do they mean by identity? And what about the centuries of Muslim legacy here?"
Jumilla, which has a population of around 27,000, is home to a Muslim community that makes up approximately 7.5 percent of residents.
