The Spanish government has presented a formal request to the Jumilla council in Murcia, urging it to revoke a motion that seeks to ban any activities not related to local sports within municipal facilities. This demand comes in response to what the government describes as an infringement on religious freedom, particularly affecting the Muslim community, which has historically conducted events in these spaces.

Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, confirmed this development, stating that the government submitted the request along with a legal report from his department. He condemned the proposal by the Popular Party and Vox as an intolerant act, asserting that no political group should dictate who has the right to religious freedom.

The government’s request highlights that the council’s decision violates Spain’s constitutional guarantee of religious freedom as enshrined in Article sixteen. It argues that the council’s motion lacks a technical or organisational basis and is driven by ideological exclusion rather than legal reasoning. The government’s view is that such a motion represents a clear deviation from the principles of equality and neutrality that must govern public administration regarding religious matters.

Furthermore, the document stresses that the council does not possess the authority to regulate municipal spaces while disregarding constitutional limits. The request calls for a commitment to uphold diverse religious beliefs and practices, ensuring that public policies do not interfere with the rights of minority faiths, such as Islam.