Spain Investigates Hate Crimes After Child Murder Blamed on Migrants

Spanish prosecutors are ramping up their investigations into hate crimes on social media in response to inflammatory rhetoric from far-right parties SALF and VOX, following the murder of an 11-year-old boy in Mocejón. Initially, leaders from these parties suggested, without evidence, that African migrants were involved in the crime. However, police later arrested a 20-year-old Spanish national, who confessed to the murder and is believed to suffer from severe mental health issues. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has announced plans to investigate the spread of false information that has fueled anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly targeting unaccompanied migrant minors. This initiative comes amid concerns that misinformation is inciting hostility towards these vulnerable groups. Miguel Ángel Aguilar, head of hate crime investigations, has proposed reforms to the criminal code to impose restrictions on individuals convicted of hate crimes on social media, including mandatory identification of users on these platforms. Sources within the Prosecutor’s Office are currently analyzing the recent surge of hate messages circulating online to assess potential legal actions against those responsible for disseminating racist and xenophobic content. The focus is particularly on derogatory references to unaccompanied minors, often labeled as “MENAS” by the extreme right. In a related development, Milagros Tolón, a representative of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government, criticized VOX and SALF for exploiting the tragedy to incite hatred against migrants, accusing them of using the murder to further their agenda and spread divisive narratives on social media.