The Vox political party in Spain has filed a complaint against a journalist who encouraged the bombing of the basilica and abbey located on the grounds of the Valley of the Fallen memorial complex northwest of Madrid. This complex is home to the largest cross in the world.
Spanish journalist Héctor de Miguel from Cadena SER, a radio station of the PRISA group, has been the subject of a complaint for hate crime and offense to religious sentiments, covered by articles 524 to 526 of the country's penal code. This is because, during a radio broadcast, he incited the dynamiting of the Abbey of the Valley of the Fallen.
“The Valley of the Fallen is a (expletive),” the journalist declared during his rant before proposing: “Why not go there with dynamite and blow it all up? If it can be on a Sunday, even better.”
The deputy secretary of legal action for Vox, Marta Castro, stated that regardless of his political intentions, the journalist's statements “attack and harm the religious sentiments of many citizens.”
The complaint was also filed against the program director and the general director of Cadena SER, Ignacio Soto Pérez. Castro emphasized that, as stipulated in article 28 of the penal code, those responsible for the media outlet must answer for their actions, as they are considered accomplices to the crime.
The Vox party also noted the “violent” intent underlying the particular words used by the journalist – “blow up” with dynamite.
Vox highlighted the fact that the journalist stated the good time to blow up the abbey would be a Sunday – the day when many faithful attend Mass in the basilica – “without concern for the lives of citizens going to church” to practice their religious faith.
The Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers announced that it had also initiated legal action against Héctor de Miguel – not only for hate crime and offense to religious sentiments, but also for harassment.
The Valley of the Fallen is a monumental complex near Madrid that includes an abbey and a basilica, which Francisco Franco ordered to be built to honor the dead from both sides during the Spanish Civil War. The bodies of more than 30,000 war victims are buried in the complex.
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The Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 pitted the nationalist forces, led by Franco, against the Republican faction. During the war, Republicans martyred thousands of clergy, religious, and laypeople, of whom 11 have been canonized and more than 2,000 beatified.
This article was originally published in English by the Catholic News Agency ( Article Link ).