Rabat — Spanish Police arrested a 21-year-old Moroccan man on Sunday after he broke into a church in Granada province and started a fire, causing significant damage to the historic building.
The suspect forced his way into the Santiago Apóstol church in El Pozuelo by smashing the front door glass with a hammer. Once inside, he destroyed several religious objects and statues before starting a fire with a lighter.
Local reports indicated that residents heard the disturbance and rushed to help limit the damage.
Local residents said they used hoses to stop the flames from spreading and protect their church while waiting for the civil guards to come.
Firefighters from Motril quickly controlled the blaze, but the building suffered considerable damage. The civil guards arrested the suspect, who now faces investigation for crimes against religious feelings with aggravating circumstances of desecration.
Albuñol Mayor María José Sánchez reportedly commended residents’ quick response and thanked police and firefighters for their work, urging them to rule out any use of the incident to create division.
“We cannot criminalize an entire community for one person’s isolated action,” Sánchez said.
The Archdiocese of Granada condemned what it called a “serious attack against what Christians hold most sacred,” with church officials expressing gratitude to the neighbors and emergency services.
The far-right Vox party, known for its hostility against migrants, has reportedly used the incident to attack immigration policy, calling it “another attack against Spanish values and traditions by foreigners.” The party renewed its calls to expel all undocumented migrants and those involved in crimes.
Meanwhile, the judicial police will investigate the suspect’s exact motivations, as local sources suggest the man may suffer from mental health issues.
The case signals tensions around immigration and religious tolerance in Spain. While community leaders work to prevent the isolated incident from fueling broader divisions and discrimination, parties hostile to migrants use it to influence immigration policy.
