While the political controversy over the mosque in Seville dominated the debate, residents of Polígono Sur show indifference and demand solutions for poverty and marginalisation.
The media spotlight was on central Seville and Pino Montano this Tuesday, but in Polígono Sur, the day went on as usual. There, next to the plot where an Islamic cultural centre is planned to house the future mosque of Seville, the residents consulted by this newspaper displayed a distant attitude towards the political controversy and called for attention to the problems they consider a priority: poverty and marginalisation.
With temperatures at 36 degrees and the usual flow of cars in the roundabout, several residents of the neighbourhood shared their opinions on the urban project, which has generated intense debate in Andalusian politics. Pablo Rodríguez, a local resident, smiled when asked: “It doesn’t bother me, as long as they don’t take my money from the bank!”. He was wearing a Spanish flag on one wrist and an Andalusian flag on the other, and was heading to pick up a bicycle from the station at José Celestino park to start his work shift.
Rodríguez admitted that he was unaware of the project until that moment. “I have Muslim and Moroccan friends, they step back a bit during Ramadan, because we keep eating and drinking the same, but I don’t mind. I have a friend who is going to join the company because I recommended him,” he explained. He added, almost as an afterthought: “And I vote for Vox.”
The plot, surrounded by a metal fence to prevent vandalism (like the incident a few days ago when pig remains were thrown inside), was the focus of his gaze. “They could build a park,” he suggested. When reminded that it is a private plot, he nodded and repeated: “It doesn’t bother me.”
Rodríguez's stance reflects the feelings of other residents consulted, who believe that the priorities of the neighbourhood revolve around improving living conditions and fighting against social exclusion. “Here the problems are poverty and marginalisation,” summarised another resident, who preferred to remain anonymous. “The mosque is a topic for politicians, but what worries us is having jobs, that young people don’t get into bad paths, that there are more services,” he added.
Polígono Sur is one of the neighbourhoods with the highest poverty rates in Seville, and its residents have been demanding social and economic investments for years. The controversy over the Islamic cultural centre, which has pitted Mayor José Luis Sanz against Vox and other political forces, has hardly resonated among the area's inhabitants. While statements were made at Seville City Hall, life in the neighbourhood continued, with cars coming in and out of the roundabout and residents waiting for the bus in the shade of the shelter.
The project, promoted by a private entity, plans to build an Islamic cultural centre on a privately owned plot, which has drawn criticism from sectors that believe the location is not suitable or that the process has not been sufficiently transparent. However, for the residents of Polígono Sur, the issue is different: “Let them build what they want, but don’t forget about us,” concluded Pablo Rodríguez before getting on his bicycle and disappearing into the traffic.
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