Hate crime has recently been used in several cases in the Spanish State, including the case of Rommy Arce de Ahora Madrid and Malick Gueye, spokesman for the Manteros, murdered in the Lavapies neighborhood of Madrid; in the case of the young people of Altsasu or in the case of the teachers of the Seu d’Urgel. The Lleida Court ruled in favor of the latter, saying that the Civil Guard is not a “marginalized or threatened” group.

Liz Feket, head of the AEI, says she is shocked by these cases. The organization analyzes hate crimes within the European Union but says it is “frightened” by the way they use the concept in the Spanish state.

ESLE spokesman Thomas Rymer denied that a person’s profession could be a cause of discrimination. “Hate crime” includes discrimination based on ethnicity, language, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or similar characteristics, but not simply being a police officer.

Wolfran Bechtel, a U.S. lawyer, told Publico that “a police officer may, in principle, be a victim of hate crime if, for example, he is insulted for racist reasons,” but said that this is not the case in the Spanish state.