Idaira Afonso, the councillor and co-spokesperson for Unidas se puede in La Laguna, proposed measures during this month’s ordinary plenary session, which she has registered with the Plenary Secretariat. She believes that discussions involving hate speech against specific groups, or that violate basic rights, should not be part of democratic debate.
Legal Report on Political Debate Limits
“We have proposed that La Laguna develop a legal report on the limits of political debate and what we consider hate crimes that are repeatedly occurring in the municipal plenary since the rise of the far right, where certain social groups and residents are targeted with messages filled with racism and aporophobia,” Afonso explained. She calls for the municipality to take action and refer to the courts any speeches that promote a breakdown in coexistence or target specific groups based on origin, socioeconomic status, or gender.
Promoting Democracy in La Laguna
Afonso argues that La Laguna, as a community of coexistence and an example of good practices in the care and inclusion of the migrant population—home to over 92 different nationalities—should lead the way in identifying and addressing speeches that are contrary to democracy and can be classified as hate crimes.
Preventing Social Unrest
“It goes beyond the use of misinformation; it directly attacks coexistence and targets neighbours based on their origin, seeking a social explosion that, fortunately, has not occurred,” she noted. She hopes the municipal government will move forward with this proposal and implement it as soon as possible.
