Spanish Cardinal Charged With Hate Crimes For Criticizing Refugees

The Spanish Network for Refugees has initiated criminal proceedings against the Archbishop of Valencia, Cardinal Antonio Caņizares, charging him with inciting "hate crimes," after the prelate spoke out publicly against a reigning "gay empire," criticized radical feminist groups and decried Europe's open-door policy toward migrants.

In their statement, the network said that Caņizares "is an ultra-conservative trying to subvert the constitutional order," and accused him of nostalgia for "other times when immigrants, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals and women were subjected to the dictates of a society governed by the powers of the Catholic Church."

"Little Ratzinger" because of his theological acumen and similarities to Pope Benedict, has criticized feminist organizations as well as speaking out against European policy toward migrants.

The statement said that in his opposition to open borders, the Cardinal was "aligning himself with neo-Fascist organizations" which, like Caņizares, "consider persons of other ethnicities or religious beliefs as dangerous and potentially criminal."

Last month, Caņizares slammed the "gay empire" for its attacks on the family, as well as joining Pope Francis in criticizing "gender ideology," which he reportedly described as "the most insidious ideology in the history of humanity."

The Cardinal spoke these words on the eve of the International Day Against Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, at a Mass celebrated in the chapel at the Catholic University of Valencia.

...In their statement, the Network said that the Archbishop had manifested an "evident disdain" toward groups at risk of social exclusion, and moreover had launched "a frontal attack on human rights and the whole system of protection of minorities, under Constitutional protection in our legal system."