Spain’s central government has ordered the town of Jumilla, in the southeastern Murcia region, to scrap a newly approved ban on holding religious celebrations in municipal sports facilities — a move critics say was aimed at halting long-standing Muslim festivities.
The measure, backed last week by the conservative Popular Party (PP) with support from the far-right Vox, was justified by local officials as a way to “preserve traditional values.” Vox had reportedly demanded the ban in exchange for backing the municipal budget.
Minister for Inclusion and Migration Elma Sainz condemned the decision as a “racist motion,” while Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres said the ban violated Spain’s constitution.
Jumilla, a wine-producing town of about 27,000 people, has a sizable Muslim community, many working in agriculture. For years, they have used sports venues to celebrate occasions such as Eid al-Fitr.
The dispute comes amid broader tensions in Murcia, where recent clashes followed an assault on a retired man by a young North African. Even Spain’s Catholic Church criticized the ban, citing constitutional protections for public religious expression.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal expressed surprise at the Church’s stance, suggesting it was linked to public funding or scandals that, he claimed, had “gagged” the institution.
