Hate speech in Barcelona: Islamophobia now motivates 80% of investigations and displaces LGTBIfobia

• According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Islamophobia was behind 80% of hate speech investigations in Barcelona in 2025 and displaces LGBTphobia from the top spot.
• Still, sexual orientation remains the primary reason for the crime of injury to dignity: 11 out of 42 indictment documents.
• 99% of the messages investigated are disseminated via the internet, especially through social media.

Hate speech in Barcelona has changed its main target. The delegated prosecutor for Hate Crimes and Discrimination in Barcelona, Marta Gloria López Catalá, explained to the press this Saturday, with data from the 2025 report, that Islamophobia has displaced LGBTphobia as the main reason for hate incitement crimes.

What does the Prosecutor’s Office say about hate speech in Barcelona?

According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Barcelona, Islamophobia motivated 80% of hate speech investigations in the district in 2025. Until now, that top spot was usually occupied by LGBTphobia.

The prosecutor attributes the increase to “social tension” and states that the provisional data for 2026 indicates that the trend continues to rise. She has also detected a resurgence of antisemitism, especially in cases of service denial, and an increase in xenophobia.

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In parallel, the Prosecutor’s Office observes a decrease in LGBT-phobia in hate speech. Sources do not provide specific figures for this decline.

Moreover, 2025 is the first year in which Islamophobia is counted separately. Previously, it was included in categories such as religion or beliefs, racism, or xenophobia.

Has LGBTphobia disappeared from hate crimes?

No: sexual orientation remains the primary reason for the crime of injury to dignity (article 510.2 of the Penal Code) in Barcelona. According to ElNacional.cat, the Prosecutor’s Office presented 42 indictment documents for this crime, most for acts in public spaces.

This is how they are distributed by reason:

• Sexual orientation: 11
• Race: 7
• Nation: 6
• Islamophobia: 5
• Gender identity: 3
• Gender: 3
• Disability: 1

For this crime, there were 39 convictions and one acquittal. In the crime of promotion of hatred (article 510.1), three indictment documents were presented, one of which was for sexual orientation.

When is a hate message a crime?

A message is a crime, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, when it constitutes a “direct call to take actions” against a group. Other speeches may be protected by freedom of expression.

To assess it, the Prosecutor’s Office considers whether the message is repetitive and whether it has “capacity for impact”. There is no unique profile of the author. Many times it is an anonymous person writing from home, but people with a relevant position in political groups or religious communities have also been investigated.

Identifying them is not easy. According to ElNacional.cat, the companies owning the networks, mostly foreign, do not respond promptly to letters rogatory.

The other figures from the report

Always according to ElNacional.cat, in 2025, 317 indictment documents for hate crimes were presented across the State, compared to 293 in 2024 (an 8.2% increase). The Prosecutor’s Office of Barcelona presented 83.

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When hate is an aggravating factor of other crimes, such as injuries or coercion, there were 34 indictment documents and 28 sentences in the first instance, of which 24 were convictions.

Frequently asked questions

What is today the main reason for hate speech in Barcelona?
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Islamophobia, which motivated 80% of hate speech investigations in 2025.

Has LGBTphobia decreased?
The Prosecutor’s Office observes a decrease in LGBT-phobia in hate speech. Still, sexual orientation remains the primary reason for the crime of injury to dignity, with 11 out of 42 accusations.

Where are these messages disseminated?
In 99% of cases, via the internet, and especially on social media.