A 27-year-old man was killed at Playa de San Juan in Alicante following an incident on 14th August. Local LGTBIQ+ association ‘Alicante Entiende’ responded to the tragic death, stating that the young man lost his life after attempting to flirt with another man, and described the incident as a brutal reaction to an affectionate approach between two men.
The 22-year-old man arrested over his alleged involvement in the death was released on precautionary measures after appearing before a judge on Saturday.
According to sources close to the case, the 22-year-old suspect allegedly kicked the victim in the head, causing him to hit the trackway severely. ‘Alicante Entiende’ reported via social media that they consider this a homophobic assault, given that it occurred after the victim tried to initiate contact with another young man.
The association expressed deep concern that a possible homophobic motivation might not be recognised as such, emphasising that the victim’s sexual orientation and the circumstances of the attack deserve full consideration. LGTBI organisations are demanding that hate crimes based on sexual orientation be thoroughly investigated and judged with all necessary guarantees, ensuring the true motivations behind the crime are clarified and that homophobia is neither rendered invisible nor normalised.
