Muslim Group Challenges City Council Over Mosque in Premià de Mar

The relocation of a mosque to convert the building into a nursery school has sparked a conflict with a Moroccan community in Premià de Mar. The Attawba group had called for a protest against the decision made by a majority of the town council's parties. The mayor accused them of being "irresponsible" and acting out of "personal animosity" against him.

This is not the first time a conflict over a mosque has erupted in Catalonia. The construction of a mega mosque in Banyoles has sparked a political storm among political parties. In Lérida, the Islamic community opposes the construction of a mosque while they pray in the street.

This contributes to increasing tension between locals and the Moroccan community, which is particularly large in some cities in Catalonia. Parties like Vox and Aliança Catalana denounce the Islamization of Catalonia with the complicity of the government and administrations. They also criticize the pressure these groups can exert.

Tension with the Town Council

The Attawba community that manages the mosque in Premià de Mar has protested against the decision to convert the building into a nursery school. They initially called for a gathering this Sunday. But they eventually canceled it after the town council offered them several alternatives.

It all started with the agreement of the town council's parties to convert the mosque building into a nursery school. The Muslim group believes that the town council has broken the commitment it had with them. They also say they have invested a lot of money in its renovation, and the relocation will be an emotional blow to the community.

But the mayor of Junts in Premià, Rafa Navarro, harshly criticized this group. He criticized them for acting out of animosity toward him and warned that the protest would not bring any solution. Finally, it seems that the situation has calmed down.

Entrenched Problem

The town council announced in the fall of last year its intention to open a nursery school in the place where the mosque is now. This measure replied to the increase in educational demand in the town.

The project, supported by several local political groups, aims to create 80 new places for early childhood education, which is seen as an urgent need by municipal authorities.

From the beginning, the Attawba community has been reluctant to relocate. They claim there was an agreement to build a new Islamic cultural center on a nearby plot. In exchange, the Town Council would acquire a piece of land that the community owns on Joan Prim Street.

However, the town council keeps that this agreement expired in mid-2023. This left the community without the possibility of continuing to use the space in Voramar.

The Town Council has proposed various alternatives to the Attawba group, such as purchasing the property on Joan Prim Street for a value above the market, to facilitate their access to a new location for religious activities. However, these options have been flatly rejected by the group, which insists that the only viable option is to keep their presence in Voramar.

In fact, some members of the community have opted to open a new prayer room in the Malet stream, but the Ifkiran group continues to reject any solution outside the old school building.

Amid the growing tension, and just hours before the demonstration, the Town Council and Attawba began new negotiations. As a result, the protest was finally canceled, although the town council remains firm in its decision that the mosque must leave the building.

Conversations between both parties continue, but the conflict doesn't seem to have reached its end, and doubts still persist about how this dispute, which has divided the local community, will be solved.