The Moroccan national ran into the ancient church screaming ”Allahu Akbar”. The incident in the Valladolid’s historic Church of San Pablo, shows chaos as a violent struggle ensues to eject the man from the church.
The Moroccan attacker ran to the front of the church, directly to the priest and those present around the altar, eyewitnesses testified to Spanish daily, ABC, this weekend.
Members of the wedding party stopped the attacker who was then arrested by police. It was later confirmed by law enforcement that he is 22-year-old Moroccan, a legal resident in Spain, as a recipient of a valid student visa.
According to Spanish police, the attacker has a history of public order offenses. He will charged with disorderly conduct, threatening behavior and an offense against ”religious sentiment” after the incident on Saturday. But Spanish authorities would not say if he faces the the cancellation of his visa or deportation back to Morocco while official unnamed sources say it is not likely that he will be expelled.
Despite the attack on their wedding ceremony, the couple eventually married after a short pause in proceedings.
Valladolid, in northwest Spain, is known for medieval religious sites. The Royal Palace, was home to Spanish kings in the early 1600s and the Christopher Columbus Museum chronicles the life of the Italian explorer, who died in Valladolid in 1506.
Spain, with a population of 46 million, is a country of immigrants. From 2002 to 2014, some 7.3 million immigrants entered the country.
Last week more than 30 migrants were rescued at the weekend off the coast of Spain after their rubber speed boat caught fire.
The video tweeted by EU border agency Frontex shows the 34 migrants wearing life jackets. The images were filmed by a Portuguese air force maritime surveillance plane.
A helicopter and several boats were dispatched to the southwest of Alboran Island between Morocco and Spain and the migrants, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were rescued and taken to the port of Motril in southern Spain.