Physical punishment of minors detected in Salt mosques

Recently, authorities in Salt have intervened in the city's mosque after detecting cases of physical punishment of minors. The City Council, in collaboration with Mossos d'Esquadra and the Directorate General of Religious Affairs, has managed to put an end to episodes of violence. Several schools had reported and warned about this problem.

According to information published by Crónica Global, the municipal government led by Jordi Viñas (ERC) acted after receiving alerts from various educational institutions. These institutions had noticed signs of physical abuse toward minors in Arabic classes taught in at least two mosques in the city.

The intervention began at the start of this year and, in February, the alleged cases of abuse were stopped in one of the Islamic centers. However, complaints continued, and new reports emerged in other educational institutions.

The interventions were carried out without prior notice and during weekends, when more minors attend religious centers. Despite efforts by the City Council and police to eradicate the abuse, the situation remains sensitive. The leaders of the religious centers say they are willing to cooperate with authorities.

Meanwhile, anti-racist activist Karim Sabni has explained to Crónica Global the lack of training in some communities to assess the quality of the education provided. The activist has argued that most families want their children to learn Arabic so they can communicate better within their community.

A problematic reality

The problem isn't new in Salt, and in previous years, school representatives had already raised concerns about similar situations in mosques. Although the city's Integration and Reception technicians visited the prayer rooms to assess the situation, previous measures weren't sufficient. However, the most recent intervention seems to have produced positive results.

According to the latest report from the Municipal Education Council, since June 2025, no new reports of physical punishment in religious centers have been received. The case of Salt, with a large immigrant community, is an example of multicultural tensions. In particular, with Islam, which has closed communities and practices incompatible with local legislation.

In this regard, it is worth recalling a similar episode that took place in El Raval, in Barcelona. It was an organization of educators that warned that the Muslim community was marginalizing girls. For example, they weren't allowed to go to the swimming pool or attend certain school activities, and cases of forced marriages were even detected.