Condemnation of homophobic attack at local summer festival

An 18-year-old man was the victim of a homophobic attack by a group of young people in the early hours of Sunday during the annual summer festival in Pallaresos, in the Tarragonès county, south of Barcelona.

The young man was allegedly attacked and insulted by a group of 11 people, and had to be taken to the Joan XXIII hospital in the nearby city of Tarragona. The young man reported the incident to the police and the courts are now considering the case.

The Observatory Against Homophobia (OCH) denounced the attack, while in a statement published on Thursday the local authority said it would present a censure motion to condemn the incident at the council's next plenary session. 

According to the OCH, the attack took place near the Font de la Mina park and the 11 aggressors included women, which it described as "exceptional". The victim was the person who contacted the OCH explaining what had happened and asking for advice.

While waiting for the official police report on the incident, the OCH has called for the alleged aggressors to be detained, and says that should the case go to trial it will present a private prosecution against the accused.

Meanwhile, the OCH has informed the Catalan government delegate in Tarragona of the incident, and next week will have a meeting with the alleged victim and his mother to offer them further assistance.