Rose Hitchens
TW: This article discusses homophobia, assault, and murder.
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Spain in reaction to the murder of 24-year-old nursing assistant Samuel Luiz last week.
Samuel Luiz was found violently beaten only yards away from a nightclub in the Spanish city of A Coruña in the early hours of July 3rd 2021.
The attack unfolded when an individual believed that Luiz was recording them on his mobile phone. After aggressively confronting Luiz, CCTV footage of the incident shows the individual leaving and later returning with a mob of 12 other people, who proceeded to collectively beat Luiz to death. The surveillance footage also shows how Luiz attempted to escape his attackers, who continue to chase and fatally attack him. Samuel Luiz died of his injuries in hospital hours later.
The attack, which occurred over Pride Weekend, has been dubbed a homophobic attack. In connection with this, PinkNews reported that the man who initially begun the attack could be heard shouting homophobic slurs at Luiz; before threatening to kill him.
The attack on Samuel Luiz comes only days after the Spanish government approved a bill that would allow individuals over the age of 14 to legally change gender without a medical diagnosis or hormone therapy, which was previously required to officially change genders. Spanish Equality Minister, Irene Montero, explained in a news conference that the bill aimed to “Send a strong message for the protection of LGBTI people.”
“We will not take a step backwards in rights and freedoms. Spain will not tolerate this.”
In response to the death of Luiz, protests have surfaced across Spain to demand justice for Luiz. Demonstrations organised by LGBTQ+ supporters begun in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona on Monday 5th July. At the protests, photos shared across social media show activists waving rainbow flags and carrying signs which read “Justice for Samuel” and other messages condemning anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
Response on Social Media
Globally, there has been an outpouring of support for Samuel Luiz across social media, with the hashtag “#JusticeForSamuel” going viral in condemnation of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. Social media posts using the hashtag have paid tribute to Luiz, but also to raise awareness for the continuation of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks and harassment. “Samuel had ambitions, he had loved ones, he had plans – he mattered,” one Twitter user posted, “Pride is a protest. And it is crucial.”
The hashtag was also utilised to raise awareness for the continuation of homophobia in Spain. Notably, videos were shared across social media which depicted clashes between police and protesters on Monday, July 5th during protests for Luiz in Madrid. Police at the protest have been criticised for their use of excessive force during the event, as they charged at protestors and arrested one person.
In a tweet posted on Monday July 5th, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez paid tribute to Samuel Luiz. “I’m confident that the police investigation will find the perpetrators of Samuel’s murder” Sanchez stated, adding that “We will not take a step backwards in rights and freedoms. Spain will not tolerate this.”
Police investigating Luiz’s murder have arrested four people in connection with the murder. The investigation is currently ongoing, with the possibility of more arrests having not been ruled out by police.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with support regarding sexual or gender identity, or are struggling as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, please get in touch with the following organisations and resources for support and help :
- https://switchboard.lgbt/how-we-can-help
- https://www.stonewall.org.uk/domestic-violence-and-abuse-resources-lgbt-people
- https://galop.org.uk/
Featured image courtesy of Delia Giandeini on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Rose Hitchens
Rose is a third-year student at Nottingham University currently studying Politics and American Studies. Apart from writing for EJ, she also writes for Impact Magazine and is interesting in writing about a wide range of topics such as music, entertainment, and current affairs. Outside of journalism, her hobbies include running, reading, and collecting records.