Madrid unites in protest against terrifying spike in anti-LGBT+ hate crime

Hundreds of people packed the streets of Madrid, Spain, this weekend to unite against the alarming uptick in anti-LGBT+ hate crimes.

Earlier this month, an alleged attack in the Malasaña neighbourhood against a gay man who had the word “f****t” carved on his buttocks enraged and repulsed Spain.

The victim later retracted his police statement and claimed his injuries were consensual, however activists were keen to underline that the lie did not detract from the spiralling number of hate crimes against LGBT+ Spaniards.

This was the message shouted loudly when LGBT+ campaigners crammed into Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s most famous central square, to call for basic protections on Saturday (11 September) evening.

People waved and wore rainbow flags while carrying banners and placards reading: “Justice”, “Touch one of us, touch us all” and “We are being killed”. Some taped the word “justice” to their heads, while many spoke of Samuel Luiz, a gay nursing assistant beaten to death by a violent mob in July.

“Samuel was killed for being gay”, some shouted. “We are not afraid – and we are angry,” others chanted.