Homophobic attack in the Parc Güell: ten young men assaulted a 52-year-old man and robbed him
It is the second complaint of violence against the gay community in a week
BarcelonaNew multiple homophobic aggression in Barcelona. A dozen boys assaulted, insulted and robbed a 52-year-old man on Saturday at dawn in a gazebo in Parc Güell. The Policia de la Generalitat de Catalunya have confirmed to ARA that the victim, who was slightly injured and the next day announced the facts, described the attackers as "young people between 20 and 25 years". According to the complaint, the group assaulted him with punches and shoved him, insulted him because of his sexuality and stole his wallet containing cash and credit cards. For the moment the police have not yet identified or located the perpetrators.
It is the second aggression that is made public in less than a week in Barcelona. Last Thursday, during the festival of Sant Joan, a male couple of 35 and 37 years were assaulted in the district of Gràcia by two people. The events took place around four in the morning and the victims, who denounced the attack, had to be taken to hospital for bruises. In this case the Policia de la Generalitat de Catalunya have not yet located the aggressors.
The Observatory against Homophobia has counted 94 aggressions this year, without taking into account this Saturday in Parc Güell.In fact, the last few weeks there have been a few homophobic attacks. The most brutal was the one at the somorrostro beach, where five men beat up two gay couples and one of the victims had to undergo surgery for a broken jaw and lost teeth. After that multiple attack, the Police were concerned about the “excessive and gratuitous” violence against the group.
This Monday, coinciding with the International Day for LGTBI Liberation, the President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, has condemned "unreservedly" the homophobic attacks of recent weeks and has pledged to work to "confront hate speech and fight against LGTBIphobia", as well as to ensure that no homophobic aggression goes unpunished. Accompanied by the Minister Mof Equality and Feminisms, Tània Verge, the President has draped the LGBTI flag on the balcony of the Palau. Also the Minister of Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, has published a tweet with a photo of the LGTBI flag from the balcony of the department. "Everyone has the right to love as they want and our obligation is to guarantee it".