To further emphasis the fact that muslims are peaceful people, Muslims in Barcelona marched in protest against violent extremism on Saturday 19 August, two days after Islamists killed at least 14 people in Catalonia, Spain. Reports revealed that the group carried signs saying ‘Islam is Peace’ and ‘Not in My Name ‘ as they marched through Plaza de Catalunya near Las Ramblas.
One of the protesters, Aziz Cetuani Farcho, a Moroccan woman living in Catalonia explained to reporters that Muslims are being hate and seen as the terrorists in the city:
“We are also victims because we are hurt by what happened, but secondly, we are also hurt because people are generalising, they are looking negatively at us, are insulting us in the streets.”
In addition, another Moroccan-born protester, Abdel Karim explained that he is not a violent Muslim and feels sorry for the victims that died in terrorist attacks:
“It could have happened to me too. I am Muslim, I am a person who does not harm anybody. I pay my taxes and thanks to this country I can get what I want. I am not a violent person. I feel so sorry for what happened to these people who are people just like me.”
Just after this protest, Vandals attacked a Spanish mosque with racist graffiti – the latest in a spate of Islamophobic assaults in the country since Thursday’s terror attack in Barcelona. However, the Seville Mosque Foundation’s centre was targeted with anti-Muslim hate speech, such as ‘Killers, you’re going to pay’, and another one that used a slur for North Africans.
In reaction to this, Jalid Nieto, a spokesman for the mosque, said he had reported the gang to the police and called it a ‘hate crime’. He added that the hate crime against the religion has increased as a result of the recent terrorist attack:
“They are taking advantage of Thursday’s terror attack, which pains us and has left us devastated, to try to make ideological capital.”
“People should understand that Muslims, just like any other person, can be victims of the injustice of the individuals behind Thursday’s attacks,” he confirmed that none of the gang responsible for the hate crime attack has as yet been identified or arrested.
Muslims in Spain are living in the burden of hate crimes. The recent protest was to reveal that Islam is a religion of peace and also to speak up against hate crimes. However, they stand to caution any Muslim involve in terrorist acts as the religion doesn’t give room for terrorism. They also urge the government to assist in curbing the situation for peaceful coexistence.
