Rabat – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has responded to the troubling wave of racism and Islamophobic attacks targeting Muslims and migrants in Spain following an assault on a 68-year-old Spaniard in Torre Pacheco, in southeastern Spain.
Far-right party Vox has been fueling the tensions with acutely Islamophobic and anti-migrant rhetoric. There have been social media posts and protests, calling for “the hunt” of migrants from North Africa, especially Moroccans, blaming them for the assault that took place last week on Friday.
Vox and far-right media held anti-Islam and migrants protests, chanting Islamophobic slogans and inciting hatred and violence against migrants in the European country amid an ongoing investigation and arrests of suspects allegedly involved in the incident.
Responding on X, Sanchez said on Monday that “racism is incompatible with democracy,” noting that what the country is witnessing in Torre Pacheco “concerns us all.”
“We must speak out, act firmly, and defend the values that unite us. Spain is a country of rights, not of hate,” he said.
The Moroccan consulate in Murcia also released a statement, expressing condemnation of violent, hostile actions against members of the Moroccan community in the region.
The local representative said recent events have been marked by “provocation, intimidation, and targeted violence” against Moroccans, who are now enduring a state of “deep anxiety and tangible fear.”
The consulate stressed that it is constantly in touch with relevant Spanish authorities to ensure all necessary security guarantees are provided to Moroccans.
“We express our unconditional support to those affected and affirm our commitment to preserving their moral and physical integrity,” the statement concluded.
Moroccans remain the largest foreign community affiliated with Spanish social security, with 375,042 workers.
