- Donostia becomes the first Basque capital to approve a specific institutional mechanism against discrimination.
- The protocol will not depend on a court ruling, being activated at the first signs of hatred or violence.
- The regulations include the digital sphere for the first time and are firmly committed to restorative justice.
The protocol against hate incidents in Donostia has been presented today by the City Council to reinforce the institutional response to LGTBI+phobic, racist and xenophobic violence. This pioneering tool seeks to guarantee safety and respect in a city that is committed to coexistence and social diversity.
A pioneering framework in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country
The City Council of Donostia / San Sebastián marks a historical precedent by becoming the first capital of Euskadi to articulate a mechanism of these characteristics. The document is the result of intense work developed during 2025 by Sorginlore Elkartea.
This consultative process has integrated representatives of all municipal political parties, technical staff and activists from the third sector. The objective is clear: to move from a reactive response focused only on crime to a comprehensive strategy that addresses hate as a systemic social phenomenon.
Legal innovation: Immediate response without sentence
One of the great novelties of this protocol is that its activation is not subject to a firm judicial resolution. The institutional machinery will be put into action upon the mere existence of signs of hatred, allowing for much more agile and effective protection for victims.
Furthermore, the text incorporates surveillance of the digital sphere, a space where hate speech has grown exponentially. The council thus assumes an active role, committing to make public statements and forceful community actions in the face of any aggression that breaks social peace.
The three master lines of institutional action
Iñigo García Villanueva, Councilor for Diversity and Inclusion, has stressed that the protocol for hate incidents in Donostia is based on three fundamental pillars that guarantee 360-degree coverage:
- Prevention: Focus on technical training and citizen awareness campaigns.
- Intervention: A structured and coordinated procedure between social and police services.
- Reparation: Individualized attention to the victim and promotion of restorative justice in minor cases.
This document was born with the vocation of being a living tool. The City Council has confirmed that it will undergo periodic reviews to adapt to the evolution of the new realities of discrimination, ensuring that Donostia continues to be a benchmark in social cohesion.
