A 21-year-old Moroccan national has been arrested after he broke into and set fire to the historic Church of Santiago Apóstol in El Pozuelo, a town within the municipality of Albuñol, Granada.
The incident occurred just after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, when the man allegedly forced open the front door by breaking a stained-glass window. He then used a hammer to cause damage inside the church before setting it on fire.
While there were no injuries, a section of the church’s interior was heavily damaged by the flames, according to Yabiladi.com. The rapid response of the Spanish police and firefighters helped limit the extent of the destruction.
Local authorities have since condemned the attack. Socialist Mayor María José Sánchez (PSOE) called for calm, calling the incident “regrettable” and warning that it could be used to “create divisions or confrontations” among residents.
“Albuñol is a diverse, supportive, and welcoming municipality, where coexistence and respect are fundamental pillars that must not be compromised. An entire group cannot be criminalized for the actions of a single person,” she insisted.
In a video, locals can be seen inside the partially destroyed church, which is still smoking. A number of Christian figures are smashed as well.
Both the Archdiocese of Granada and the Union of Islamic Communities of Andalusia (UCIDAN) have also issued strong condemnations.
The Archdiocese called it a “serious intentional arson” and a “grave attack on the most sacred aspect of Christian worship.”
It noted “several people were slightly injured” while trying to prevent damage to the building.
It also called on the faithful to “give thanks to God for this serious incident and pray for harmony and peace among all.”
The Union of Islamic Communities of Andalusia (UCIDAN) stated the attack was “totally contrary to human and Islamic values” and does not represent the Muslim community.
The Albuñol government also noted “strong condemnation” of these “extremely serious” incidents.
The post Spain: Moroccan Migrant Arrested for Setting Fire to Historic Church in Granada appeared first on American Renaissance.
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Author: Henry Wolff
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