Footage circulating online appears to show prominent Spanish far-right activist Isabel Peralta performing a Nazi salute while addressing a demonstration outside the Moroccan Embassy in Madrid, held in response to the large-scale migrant crossings into Ceuta, prompting Spanish authorities to review the footage for possible offences.
A demonstration outside the Embassy of Morocco in Madrid has drawn widespread attention after video footage appeared to show far-right activist Isabel Peralta performing a Nazi salute while speaking to the crowd. The protest was one of several held across Spain in response to the large-scale migrant crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with demonstrators waving Spanish flags and chanting anti-immigration slogans. Organisers of the protest described the Ceuta crossings as an “invasion.” Spanish authorities are now reviewing footage from the demonstration to determine whether any criminal offences were committed.
A demonstration amid rising tensions
The protest formed part of a broader wave of demonstrations that have taken place across Spain since the migrant surge into Ceuta began, with participants calling for tighter border controls and stronger government action against illegal immigration. The Ceuta crisis has triggered wider political divisions both within Spain and across Europe more broadly, with governments continuing to debate how to respond to large-scale irregular migration while balancing border security with humanitarian obligations.
Who is Isabel Peralta?
Peralta has been one of Spain’s most prominent far-right activists in recent years and has a documented history of extremist political activity, including previous involvement with the group Bastión Frontal. She has faced legal proceedings on several occasions over speeches and demonstrations linked to extremist ideology, and has previously attracted controversy for public statements praising aspects of National Socialism, having been investigated by Spanish authorities over alleged hate speech in the past.
Her history of inflammatory rhetoric extends to an earlier demonstration outside the same Moroccan Embassy in 2021, when she used the phrase “muerte al invasor” (“death to the invader”) in reference to Moroccan migrants. That episode contributed to a 2025 conviction, when a Spanish court sentenced her to one year in prison for incitement to discrimination and hatred, a ruling later upheld on appeal. In a separate incident in 2022, German authorities stopped Peralta at Frankfurt Airport after finding her in possession of a Nazi flag and a copy of Mein Kampf; she was subsequently expelled from Germany and issued a lifetime ban from entering the country.
The legal questions raised
Spain has laws prohibiting hate crimes and the incitement of hatred or violence, though whether displaying Nazi symbols or gestures constitutes a criminal offence depends on the specific circumstances of each case and on prosecutors’ assessment of whether the law has been broken. Spanish authorities have said they are examining footage from Saturday’s protest as part of efforts to determine whether any offences took place.
Part of a wider debate
The incident has reignited debate within Spain over the growth of extremist political activism, coming at a time when tensions surrounding immigration and border security have intensified significantly following the events in Ceuta. As demonstrations continue across the country, the episode is likely to add further scrutiny to how Spanish authorities respond to extremist displays at protests connected to the ongoing migration debate.
