Spain: Battle of the Mosque
37 minutes, 2002
Ref: 009tvc

A demonstration by two thousand angry townsfolk against the building of a mosque in Premià de Mar, a coastal town north of Barcelona, has woken politicians up with a jolt. The spokesman of the demonstration, Josep Anglada, is a well-known member of the Spanish far right and leader of a party with strong racist leanings. Another demonstration had been held a few days earlier supporting the Muslims right to build the mosque. The conflict has split Premià down the middle. The Muslims have building permission for the mosque and the Spanish Constitution protects freedom of religion. But those opposing the mosque have gathered eight thousand signatures and are giving the Town Council a rough ride. Attempts by officials to find a compromise have failed. The reaction is all the more surprising because other towns have Islamic prayer centers. But this would be the first mosque to be built in Catalonia and many locals believe it would attract swarms of worshippers from all over the country. "Trenta Minuts" looks at how things have reached such a pass and at integration in Premià. The program also interviews leading figures in the conflict. These include local Muslims who insist on their constitutional right to build a mosque on their own land and natives who are worried about property value and crime. A pro-tolerance group in the town argues that race relations in Premià have always been good and that the whole thing is a storm in a teacup. Reporters also spoke with immigrants who are well-integrated in Catalan society and are stunned at the furor, fearing that it will change their lives for the worse. The protests over the mosque go back five years, but the recent wave of protest comes as a shock because Premià does not have the crime and immigration problems associated with inner cities. Most local immigrants have found work and are integrated. The mosque has provided a focus for shadowy fears and revealed the need for bridges between cultures. Meanwhile, the Town Council is trying to cool passions and force a truce in the Battle of the Mosque.