Hassan II Foundation Denounces Wave of Anti-Moroccan Incidents Across Spain

Marrakech – The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad has issued a formal statement condemning a series of anti-Moroccan incidents and attacks that have occurred in Spain.

In a press release published on Tuesday, the Foundation expressed “the greatest concern” over what it called “ominous developments that have no place in a democratic society.”

“In less than a month, the Moroccan community established in Spain has been the victim of serious incidents,” the statement noted. These include the burning of a mosque in Piera, organized violence against Moroccans (“Moor hunt”) in Torre-Pacheco, hate messages on social media, and restrictions on Muslim worship practices in Jumilla.

The Foundation also pointed to the suspension of Arabic language and cultural education programs by the autonomous community of Madrid and other municipalities as part of this troubling pattern.

The violence in Torre-Pacheco began on July 9 when a 68-year-old man was assaulted. Far-right groups quickly distorted the incident, presenting it as evidence of “migrant crime” and calling for action on the streets.

By July 12-13, the situation had escalated into organized violence after online calls for a “cacería” (hunt) targeting migrants.

At least five people were injured and one person was detained during the second night of clashes; police deployed reinforcements as groups wearing far-right symbols confronted mostly North African (notably Moroccan) residents.

Four nights of tension followed, with police charges, cordons, and dozens of incidents logged across the San Antonio neighborhood, where many Moroccan families live.

Reuters called it “one of the worst such episodes in Spain in recent decades,” noting Torre-Pacheco’s large foreign-born workforce in agriculture and recalling the El Ejido riots (2000) as the last comparable shock.

The Foundation stated it had previously warned about rising xenophobia. “In 2010, during an academic meeting in Seville, the Foundation had already alerted against the rise of xenophobic and Islamophobic discourse on social networks,” the press release stated.

“If, at the time, this discourse was considered imported from abroad, it is unfortunately today endogenous and expresses growing hostility towards Moroccans and foreigners.”

From a street assault to organized racist ‘hunts’

Misinformation played a key role in inflaming and fueling tensions. A viral video clip misrepresented as showing the assault on the pensioner was later debunked by the victim himself, the town hall, and the Guardia Civil. The footage actually originated from an unrelated incident months earlier in Almería.

Fact-checking units documented more hoaxes, including a list of “five Maghrebis” falsely named as suspects.

Spain’s public broadcaster and international outlets traced how Instagram/Telegram call-to-action posts turned into on-the-ground hunts; the Interior Minister condemned the “racist persecutions” and blamed the far right’s online ecosystem for escalation.

Spanish authorities have responded with legal action. By July 24, police had identified approximately 300 individuals for possible offenses connected to the unrest. Charges range from public disorder to hate crimes.

A suspected leader of the supremacist network “Deport Them Now UE” was arrested in Mataró for allegedly inciting the violence in Torre-Pacheco. Prosecutors have opened hate-crime investigations into public statements surrounding the riots, including those made by José Ángel Antelo, the Vox regional leader in Murcia.

The scope of these incidents extended beyond Torre-Pacheco. On July 12, arsonists destroyed a newly constructed mosque in Piera, near Barcelona. More than 1,000 people later marched in protest under the banner “Mezquita sí, odio no” (Mosque yes, hatred no).

The Foundation acknowledged those who opposed these acts. It recognized “the public and moral authorities, political parties, various components of civil society and the press who have reacted firmly and with dignity to these sad events.”

In its conclusion, the Foundation offered support to affected Moroccan citizens. “The Foundation also pays tribute to the courage, maturity and civic-mindedness of our Moroccan compatriots who are victims of these drifts and assures them of its full solidarity, support and assistance in defending their rights and interests.”

Spain’s anti-racism observatory (OBERAXE) recorded more than 54,000 hate-speech items in June alone, indicating a sharp increase that contributed to July’s violence.

At the European level, MEPs have formally questioned the Commission regarding the “grave racist attacks” in Torre-Pacheco and the role of far-right coordination online.

The UN Alliance of Civilizations chief Miguel Ángel Moratinos condemned both the arson and the wider racist climate in Spain.