MADRID – On Sunday afternoon, a 20-year-old gay man in Madrid was attacked by eight people with knives at the front door of his home. The Spanish police are investigating the incident. However, it is thought likely to be a hate crime because of the man´s sexual preference.
The young man was about to enter his home around 5 pm on Sunday, September 5. But was attacked by eight men wearing black hooded sweaters. The incident took place in the Malasaña district of Madrid.
The victim stated the following to the police about the brutal attack in the portal of his home: In the doorway of the home, the victim was attacked with knives. He was called gay, his lower lip was cut, his pants were pulled down. And the word “maricón” (faggot) was cut with knives on his buttocks. As far as we know, no one has been arrested after this incident.
PM expresses sympathy and condemns hate crimes
Shortly after it was announced that this homophobic attack had taken place, the Spanish Prime Minister made himself heard on Twitter. He expresses his condolences to the victim. Pedro Sánchez writes “hate has no place in our society. My emphatic condemnation of this homophobic attack. We will not allow it. We will continue working for an open and diverse country. A country where no one is afraid of being who they are, where we all live free and safe”.
En nuestra sociedad no tiene cabida el odio. Mi rotunda condena a este ataque homófobo. No vamos a permitirlo. Seguiremos trabajando por un país abierto y diverso, donde nadie tenga miedo a ser quien es, en el que todos/as vivamos libres y seguros.
Mi cariño al joven agredido. https://t.co/YDjWENyeVa
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) September 6, 2021
Spain still in shock over Samuel Luiz’s death
Several investigations are currently underway in Spain into possible hate crimes due to the sexual orientation or preference of victims. One of the most recent examples is the death of 24-year-old Samuel Luiz, who was allegedly assaulted by a group of young people because of his sexual orientation and later died as a result. Protests against the violence against the LGBT community were held in many Spanish cities in response to this crime.
Organisations Cogam andKifkif, which work for LGBT people, announced Monday after the attack on the 20-year-old man from Madrid a protest march on the Puerta del Sol in Madrid on Saturday, September 11 at 7 pm.
Spain investigates all hate crimes
At the end of July, the Ministry of the Interior announced the government had ordered the National Police and the Guardia Civil to investigate every hate crime that occurs based on the slightest discrimination. Statistics show hate crimes are on the rise in Spain, something the government says is unacceptable.
