The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad condemns racist offences in Spain

People run down a street during clashes with the Civil Guard amid anti-immigrant riots following an attack on an elderly man by assailants earlier in the week, in Torre Pacheco, Spain, on 13 July 2025 - REUTERS/VIOLETA SANTOS MOURA
The Foundation has condemned the ‘unworthy deviations of Spain’ and the ‘disastrous’ racist acts, which are unacceptable in any democratic society 

The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad has denounced the racist offences committed in Spain against immigrants, particularly against Moroccans. 

In an official statement, the Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad condemned Spain's ‘unworthy deviations’, denouncing the ‘disastrous’ racist acts that ‘have no place in a democratic society’. 

The Foundation has expressed its ‘deep concern’ about the rise in racist attacks, while reaffirming its commitment to ‘protect and defend the rights and interests’ of Moroccans living abroad (MRE). 

This official statement comes after various incidents in Spain involving attacks of various kinds on the immigrant community, such as the offensive actions in Torre-Pacheco, Murcia, and the political initiative in Jumilla, also in Murcia, banning Muslim prayers in sports centres. These actions were largely carried out by the Spanish far right. 

The Foundation has highlighted that 'in less than a month, the Moroccan community in Spain has been the victim of serious incidents: the burning of a mosque in Piera, the 'hunt for Moors' in Torre-Pacheco, hate messages on social media, the suspension of the programme for teaching the Arabic language and Moroccan culture by the Autonomous Community of Madrid, and restrictions on Muslim religious practices in Jumilla'. 

The Foundation expressed its solidarity with the victims, recognising ‘the courage, maturity and civic spirit of our Moroccan compatriots who have been victims of these abuses’, expressing ‘its full solidarity’ and its ‘support and backing for the defence of their rights and interests’. 

The institution recalled that back in 2010, during an academic meeting in Seville, it warned of ‘the rise of xenophobic and Islamophobic discourse on social media’. ‘If at that time this discourse was perceived as imported, unfortunately today it is endogenous and reflects a growing hostility towards Moroccans and foreigners in general,’ the Foundation pointed out. 

On the other hand, the Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad also highlighted the good treatment of immigrants, and Moroccans in particular, in large sectors of Spanish society. The Foundation recognised ‘the value that Spaniards place on freedom, equality, dignity, respect for others and coexistence’, as well as ‘the quality of the welcome that Spain offers to immigrants’. 

The Foundation also paid ‘tribute to the public and moral authorities, political parties, various components of civil society and the press, which have reacted with firmness and dignity to these sad events’ against the immigrant community.