The High Court of Justice of Madrid has upheld a one-year prison sentence imposed on far-right activist María Isabel Peralta for inciting hatred and discrimination against Moroccans during a protest outside the Moroccan Embassy in Spain’s capital.
The court dismissed Peralta’s appeal against an earlier judgment delivered by the Fifth Section of the Provincial Court of Madrid, affirming both her conviction and the penalties imposed. In addition to the one-year prison sentence, the court upheld her disqualification from holding public office during the period of imprisonment, a six-month financial penalty, payment of court costs and the removal of online content linked to the offence.
The case stems from a demonstration held on May 18, 2021, outside the Moroccan Embassy in Madrid, where Peralta addressed protesters using a loudspeaker. According to the court, her speech included derogatory remarks targeting Moroccan migrants and slogans that incited hostility and hatred.
The judges also noted Peralta’s prominent role in the protest, which was organised by Bastión Frontal, a group the court described as a violent urban movement associated with neo-Nazi and neo-fascist ideologies. Peralta’s legal team argued that her comments amounted to political criticism of Spain’s immigration policies rather than hate speech.
However, the court rejected the defence, ruling that the statements went beyond legitimate political expression and constituted unlawful incitement to discrimination and hatred against Moroccans. With the appeal dismissed, the original judgment and all accompanying sanctions remain in force.
