In Spain, hate crimes continued to increase in 2022, with an increase of 3.7% compared to the previous year, for a total of 1,869 hate crimes and hate incidents recorded. This is according to the latest report published by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, which highlights that the security forces arrested or detained 838 people linked to these crimes in 2022.
According to the report presented by the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Moroccans are the foreigners most victims of hate crimes and hate incidents in Spain in 2022, compared to other countries.
In detail, Moroccans were victims of 9.85% of all hate incidents and crimes in 2022, i.e. 201 victims, a figure higher than that recorded in 2021. Hate crimes also affected Moroccan minors in Spain, where they are the nationality most affected by this type of crime, representing more than 10% of all registered cases, with 25 victims. A notable increase compared to the previous year, underlines the same source.
In addition to minors, the report also indicates that Moroccans are the most hated foreigners in Spain, in almost all age groups. He also points out that Moroccans are at the top of foreigners committing hate crimes against others. In 2022, 69 Moroccans were arrested or questioned in connection with these crimes, representing 8.23% of all cases, including 12 minors.
As for crimes related to racism and xenophobia, (43.5% of total hate crimes according to the report), they come first among hate crimes (755 cases), followed by those related to gender discrimination, which increased compared to the previous year (77%).
Thus, the majority of hate crimes investigated in Spain involve injuries and threats, followed by insults or other harm.
While these crimes are increasing year on year in Spain, experts are still trying to determine whether this is due to increased reporting and police vigilance, or to increased levels of violence against vulnerable groups.
In a statement to the press, Tomas Fernandez, director of Spain’s National Office for Combating Hate Crimes said: It seems that Spain is generally becoming more tolerant, but this could also tip some people into intolerance“, noting that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
According to Fernandez, only 10-20% of hate crimes are reported to the police. Of the approximately 1,900 hate crimes investigated in Spain in 2022, 407 were reported by authorities in the Basque Country, 237 by those in Catalonia, 237 by those in Madrid and 207 by those in Andalusia. .
According to the report, nearly 60% of the victims are Spanish, while the others are foreign, noting that Moroccans are the most targeted group, ahead of Colombians and Senegalese.