Homophobic Murder in Spain Sparks Global Outcry

On July 3rd, Samuel Luiz was killed in a homophobic attack in A Coruña, Spain. Luiz was found unconscious outside a nightclub after a violent attack. Emergency services were then unable to revive him, and he died on Saturday morning.

Witnesses have said anti-gay slurs were used against Luiz in his final moments.

On Tuesday, three people were then arrested by the Spanish authorities concerning the murder.

The tragic incident has since sparked protests and outcry from activists in Spain and across the world. A series of protests, organized by Spanish LGBTQ+ rights group, Fundación Triángulo, took place in Madrid and other cities throughout the country on Monday.

“We woke up on Saturday to the terrible news of the murder of Samuel” Fundación Triángulo has said in a statement, “a young 24-year-old man from A Coruña, at the hands of a group of people who took his life by beating him while screaming ‘faggot’. Terror, anguish, fear. This is what Samuel was able to feel before his death.”

Pedro Sánchez, The Spanish Prime Minister, has also made a statement and described the murder as a “savage and depraved act.” And the hashtags #JusticiaParaSamuel and #JusticeForSamuel have been trending around the world.