Atheists are censored in Spain.
Court probes march of those who merely say they do not believe in God.
A Spanish court has banned atheists from holding a march in Madrid today, Holy Thursday, saying it would be offensive to Catholic Spaniards who celebrate Easter with their own processions. In a ruling yesterday, the Madrid High Court of Justice upheld the ban imposed last week by the Interior Ministry for the Madrid region.
The ministry had argued, among other things, that the planned march to the Lavapiés district would pass by several Catholic churches and could provoke clashes with conservative Catholics. The court added that it is necessary to "protect the tourist image" of the city.
The Association of Atheists and Free Thinkers of Madrid, one of the groups organizing the march, stated that the ban shows that there is no separation between Church and State in Spain, a predominantly Catholic country.