AC goes after the Lamb Festival: 'Lérida isn't a multicultural laboratory'

Aliança Catalana has expressed their rejection of a municipal proposal to promote the Lamb Festival in Lleida. Through their social media, the party has reported that a motion to promote this festivity will be voted on in the City Council plenary session. For the party, promoting halal slaughter doesn't represent coexistence, but rather submission. They also warn that while these initiatives move forward, the use of Catalan is decreasing. "Lleida isn't a multicultural laboratory. It's our home," they state.

The motion in question was presented by the Watami Association for Freedom and Justice. This festivity, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is a central celebration for the Muslim community and commemorates Abraham's faithfulness in the sacrifice of his son, according to their beliefs. In Lleida, more than 50,000 Muslims celebrate this day with collective prayers and family meals where lamb is the main feature:

Rejection on social media

This proposal has caused strong discontent among Aliança Catalana's followers on social media. Many users criticize what they consider a double standard regarding cultural traditions. They point out that while pig slaughter, a local tradition, was banned, now there's an attempt to promote halal slaughter. They also recall the difficult struggle to ban bullfighting in Catalonia and question how another form of animal mistreatment is now allowed.

The rejection isn't limited to cultural or animal rights issues. Several voices accuse progressive and animal rights parties of seeking electoral interests among the foreign Muslim population, favoring these practices for political calculation. These criticisms reflect the growing tension surrounding integration and respect for local traditions versus new cultural expressions.

Europe said no

Additionally, this issue connects with a broader European debate on the ritual slaughter of animals. Recently, the European Court of Human Rights upheld the possibility of banning halal and kosher slaughter with the aim of protecting animal welfare. European justice considered that these restrictions don't violate religious freedom and that animal welfare is an evolving ethical value within democratic societies.

The European ruling responds to laws such as those in Flanders and Wallonia, where prior stunning in animal slaughter was imposed, eliminating exceptions for religious rites. This decision has sparked a debate about to what extent religious traditions can prevail over animal protection regulations. In fact, this is another side of the debate about the relationship between the West and Islam.