A court in Málaga has acquitted priest Custodio Ballester who was accused of inciting hatred after he criticised Islam and immigration. Prosecutors had sought up to four years in prison but judges ruled that his comments, while offensive to some, did not amount to a hate crime.
The ruling was hailed as a victory for freedom of expression and a pushback against what the court saw as political overreach in the use of hate speech laws.
The case comes amid ongoing debate in Spain over illegal immigration and cultural integration as several schools in Ceuta and Melilla now serve only halal meals due to their majority Muslim student populations.
