Madrid City Hall issues apology for videos showcasing blackface during Epiphany celebration.

Madrid's city hall has issued an apology after sharing videos during Epiphany festivities that featured a white actor in blackface. The videos sparked accusations of racism, particularly as one of them included the actor speaking in a heavy accent. The deputy mayor of Madrid acknowledged the mistake and attributed it to the production company responsible for the videos. Blackface has a historical context in which black individuals were ridiculed for the amusement of white individuals. Epiphany, which falls on 6 January, is widely celebrated in Spain to commemorate the visit of the Magi to Jesus. The event is highly significant for many Spaniards and is marked by children polishing their shoes and leaving them out for the Three Kings to leave presents in. The annual Three Kings parades are a cherished part of Spanish Christmas traditions. Madrid City Hall had commissioned a firm to create personalized video messages from the kings for children in the capital, with approximately 20 to 30 such messages being sent out. Afrofeminas, an anti-racism group, condemned the videos as "unforgivable and irresponsible." Blackface, viewed as racist and deeply offensive by many, involves a person, typically with white skin, darkening their face to resemble someone of black descent. Over the past few years, numerous politicians, media figures, and even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have faced backlash for their involvement in blackface scandals.