Discrimination Worsens in Spain, Far-Right and Fake News Largely to Blame

Racial and ethnic discrimination in Spain has worsened in the past few years, especially in housing and education, the Equality Ministry said on Monday, fuelled by far-right politicians and fake news.

In its 2020 report, the ministry said almost one in three Black or ethnic minority respondents said they had experienced discrimination while house-hunting, starting with real estate and housing agencies and extending to landlords. This was double the levels reported in the previous 2013 study.

“The media noise about squatters mean people associate North African, Latino and Sub-Saharan people with over-crowding and squatting,” said study coordinator Anabel Suso. “People don’t want to rent to them, and real estate agencies reflect that.”

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“Racially-motivated hate speech against determined groups is surging, gaining traction through social media,” the report said.

“The growing fake news trend…creates alternative outlets which publish xenophobic images and create a negative public perception towards migration flows and minority groups.”

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The report said people were now better able to identify certain types of racism than in 2013, leading to a heightened awareness of everyday racism and partly explaining the rise in perceived discrimination. The Asian community – often better-educated than other minorities – perceives high levels of abuse.

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