Algeciras Calls for Unity After Priest’s Murder Shakes Diverse Community

More than 120 nationalities of foreign origin coexist in Algeciras. There is a large Moroccan community, but also Bolivian, Romanian, Chinese, Brazilian and British. According to the 2021 population census, Algeciras had 122,982 inhabitants, of whom 10,325 were foreigners, 61.9% of whom came from Morocco, or more than 6,000. "We are a multicultural and diverse population. Confronting each other would be social suicide," explains Francisco Mena, vice president of the Márgenes y Vínculos Foundation and the Anti-Drug Federation.

Yassin Kanja, a 25-year-old Moroccan, stabbed to death on Wednesday the sacristan of the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Palma, the main Catholic church in the city. "This criminal is not from here, from Algeciras; he was first seen in the mosques a few weeks ago, and was even chased out of one of them last week," explains Mohamed El Mikaden, from the Islamic Community of Algeciras.

The funeral mass for the murdered priest was celebrated on Friday by the bishop of the diocese of Cádiz-Ceuta, Rafael Zornoza, surrounded by all the priests of the parishes of Algeciras. The Islamic Community of Algeciras, which attended these obsequies, took the opportunity to express its grief to the deceased’s loved ones. According to it, cases of mental illness exist in Kanja’s family. Even if the murderer suffers from mental disorders, if his radicalization is confirmed, the hypothesis of jihadist terrorism could be maintained, warns the prosecutor.

"Until now, the city of Algeciras and the citizens have always overcome the most difficult moments and we hope that this will continue, to improve the situation and work for coexistence and mutual respect," hopes Mohamed El Mikaden, who has lived in Algeciras since 2004, a "city of peace and integration". "The coexistence of cultures in Algeciras and by extension throughout the Campo de Gibraltar, is historical," supports José Chamizo, Andalusian ombudsman and president of Sevilla Acoge.