Lanzarote Civil Action Lanzarote has publicly denounced the proliferation of racist and xenophobic comments on social media after a recent publication by the Councilor for Security and Emergencies of the Arrecife City Council, Kevin Cortés.
The councilor disseminated an informative video to alert the population about the risks derived from the latest declared alert, within the framework of his powers and with the aim of guaranteeing public safety. However, the publication resulted in a cascade of offensive and discriminatory messages that, according to the collective, “have nothing to do with legitimate public debate”.
Among the registered comments are expressions such as “Where is that, Tegucigalpa?”, “In Bogotá?”, “Panchitos TV live…” or “Go take care of your country”, in addition to other derogatory insults directed at the councilor.
The complaint gains special relevance by coinciding with the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a day that, they recall from Lanzarote Civil Action, “must serve to reinforce the values of respect, equality and dignity.”
The collective warns that this type of behavior “not only violates the dignity of people, but also seriously deteriorates coexistence, fosters hatred and projects an unfair image of Lanzarotean society”.
Likewise, it highlights that Lanzarote “has historically been an open, diverse, and supportive land”, which is why it considers it essential to stop the normalization of hate speech, both in the digital sphere and outside of it.
Lanzarote Acción Civil insists that political criticism is legitimate in a democracy, but stresses that “it must never cross the boundaries of respect nor turn into attacks due to origin, accent, or personal condition”.
Finally, the collective calls for individual and collective responsibility, and urges both public administrations and digital platforms to act firmly against this type of content, reiterating its commitment to a society based on coexistence, equality, and respect.
