Maro residents show support of LGBT+ community following violent homophobic attack

Homophobia

Four young women, three of whom are lesbians, were verbally and physically attacked by a local resident who showed signs of being drunk during the eastern Costa del Sol's San Isidro fair on 15 May

Eugenio Cabezas

The deputy mayor of Maro, Nuchi Moreno and Nerja's councillor for equality, Dani Rivas, joined residents of the eastern Costa del Sol village on ... Saturday 30 May at a rally to show their support for the local LGBT+ community and their firm rejection of any hate crime, following an alleged homophobic attack which took place in the town on Friday 15 May during the San Isidro fair.

The four victims, aged between 20 and 26, claim that they were verbally and physically attacked by a 42-year-old man who lives near two of the women. According to the report made with the town's Guardia Civil, to which SUR has had access, the incident took place at around 10am on Friday 15 May.

The four young women were near their homes when the neighbour, who they say was drunk, allegedly approached them and started to verbally abuse one of them.

The four victims were near to one of the women's house,when they says the man and his wife approached them in an apparent state of inebriation. At that moment, the man allegedly began to address one of the girls as "Manolo, Manolo", an homophobic expression which they argue was directed against their sexual orientation.

One of the girls then reproached him and asked him to go home. According to the complaint, it was at that moment that the man allegedly began to physically attack the young woman, kicking and punching her. The complainants maintain that they tried to calm him down at all times, but that the alleged aggressor did not stop.

Attended at the health centre

Three of the four young women are lesbians and the fourth is one of the sister of one of them. The complainants also claim that the defendant's wife also began to utter expressions such as "lesbians", "sick" and "you are deviant".

According to the documentation provided to SUR, a witness called both the Local Police and 112 when they saw that several of the young women had been injured. Subsequently, the victims went to the health centre in Nerja, where they were treated and the corresponding injury reports were issued to the duty court.

A witness called both the local police and 112 when he saw that several of the girls had bleeding wounds.

Two of the girls suffered injuries to their faces and heads and a third victim was treated for a slap on the right cheek, while another young woman had bruising and cuts to several fingers on one hand, injuries to an elbow and pain in one hand after falling to the ground during the attack. The health reports also note the state of "nervousness and emotional distress" of some of the four girls after what happened.

The victims have told those around them that they feel particularly affected by the allegedly homophobic nature of the episode. According to their version, it was not an isolated argument, but an attack preceded and accompanied by insults linked to their sexual orientation. The complaint states that they do not know any other relevant information about the perpetrator beyond the identification of the accused as a local resident.

The incident has caused concern in Maro and Nerja and it occurred in the middle of the San Isidro celebrations, one of the most popular festivities in the local calendar. The pilgrimage brings together thousands of people every year in the area around the Cueva de Nerja and on the accesses to the village, which is why the incident occurred on a busy night in the area.

The mother of the two sisters said that such behaviour cannot be tolerated in the 21st century. "It is a hate crime and a homophobic attack," she said.

The Guardia Civil has initiated the corresponding proceedings although it is not yet known whether the accused has been arrested or summoned to testify. The case is now pending the police investigation and the assessment of the court in Torrox.

The young women maintain their intention to continue with the complaint in order to clarify the facts and to determine whether, in addition to the injuries, there was a discriminatory motivation because of the sexual orientation of three of the girls.

The victims have told SUR that they have been very affected by the situation, with "a lot of fear, anguish and anxiety". The mother of the two sisters said that this type of behaviour cannot be tolerated in the 21st century. "It is a hate crime and a homophobic attack", she added.

Condemnation of the Axarquía LGTB+ association

The Axarquía LGTB+ association has publicly condemned the alleged attack and has highlighted that it could constitute an alleged hate crime motivated by sexual orientation.

In a statement, the association has conveyed its "solidarity, support and affection" to those affected and has made itself available to accompany them in the process they need. The association maintains that these events represent "an intolerable attack" not only against the victims, but against the entire LGTB+ community, and warns that "no person should live in fear for freely expressing or living their sexual orientation".

The association demands a "rigorous" investigation and a "firm" response to any manifestation of homophobia from the competent authorities. "Violence, hatred and intolerance have no place in our towns or in our society", stressed the group, which demands that this case "does not go unpunished".

Nerja town hall also expressed its "strongest condemnation" of the homophobic attack in a statement released at the time. It stressed that no person should suffer violence, insults or discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In the statement the town hall reaffirmed its commitment against any form of hatred, intolerance or discrimination and defended that Nerja is "an open, diverse and welcoming town". It went on to say that such acts are incompatible with the values of coexistence, respect, freedom and equality that characterise the town.

It added that in Nerja "there is no place for homophobia or any hate speech" and trusts that the facts will be investigated "with the utmost diligence" so that the corresponding responsibilities are established and justice is done.