Another Murcia town faces backlash over claims of Islamic ban

Las Torres de Cotillas mayor insists there’s no problem with the Muslim community

Far-right political party Vox appears to be continuing its crusade against the Muslim community, this time sparking controversy in Las Torres de Cotillas in the Region of Murcia.

The issue began when Pablo Alberto Ruiz, City Councillor for Citizen Security, claimed to have “cancelled an Islamic prayer” that was scheduled to take place at the municipal sports centre last month.

He alleged that the event, approved by the People’s Party (PP), did not have the proper permits and had not paid the required fees for using the facilities.

The timing of this latest controversy is hardly coincidental. The dispute comes as the Region of Murcia faces growing controversy over the use of public facilities for religious events, following a separate case in Jumilla where the Spanish government has ordered the town council to reverse a ban on such gatherings.

Las Torres de Cotillas’s mayor immediately denied that the gathering had been cancelled. Instead, he said that Vox councillor Alberto Ruiz is “lying” and that it is “untrue” the Assalam Las Torres de Cotillas Islamic community was denied access to the Mireia Belmonte pavilion.

The group’s president, Admed Ezzaary, confirmed that they had properly requested permission as in previous years.

Noguera explained that the facility was available for the requested date of July 12 from 9am to 12pm and that the permit was granted.

The issue arose only when the group asked to move the start time of the event to 2pm to accommodate a visiting African imam. The Department of Sports informed them that the venue could not open in the afternoon during July and August.

“Something we fully understood,” said Ezzaary, who has lived in the area since 2018 and has led the community for four years.

In a statement, Vox said its actions show “a commitment to defending security, respect for the law and the coexistence of all citizens, eliminating any element that could constitute ideological imposition or unjustified privileges in public spaces.”

Ruiz added: “We would do exactly the same thing if it had happened to another group” and insisted “it has nothing to do with a religious issue.

“Where Vox governs, there is no room for breaking the law. Our duty is to ensure that all events and activities held in municipal spaces comply with current regulations and respect all residents. It is time to put an end to imposed dogmas and focus on what truly matters: safety, well-being, and coexistence in our municipality.”

Mayor Noguera rejected this explanation, saying he believes Vox deliberately made more of a non-issue in order to ride “the wave of extremism that has developed elsewhere and is already tiring.”

He added: “There is no problem with the Islamic community. There has never been a problem of coexistence, although there may have been, as in any other place, some minor incidents. So if it had been possible this year, they would have been granted it as well.”

The mayor also noted that Las Torres de Cotillas already has a mosque in the Carmen neighbourhood and that there have been no issues between local residents and foreign communities.

Noguera confirmed he will raise the issue at the next Governing Board meeting and ask the Vox Councillor for Security for an explanation for his statements.

“Las Torres is a welcoming town. I want to send a message to all residents to stay calm. We are a peaceful municipality where all types of religions coexist and where this coexistence poses no inconvenience and has not led to any incidents,” he concluded.

In other news: Dozens of new apartments and tourism businesses spring up in Murcia

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