Ecuadorian Girl Brutally Attacked in Spain

Filed in archive Latin Issues on October 25, 2007

On October 7, a 21-year-old Spaniard, identified as Sergi Xavier Martinez Martinez, was caught on camera, on a commuter train near Barcelona, Spain.

A video of the attack, placed on several Spanish news media Web sites, showed a skin-headed man arriving in a carriage and talking on a mobile phone. Within seconds, he stood up and started punching a young Ecuadorean girl sitting opposite him. Before stepping off the train, the man kicked the girl in the head.

Police said the man insulted the girl while striking her, telling her to go back to her country, El Pais newspaper reported. (Source)

The man kicked the girl in the head. He got off the train screaming racially-charged insults at the 16 years old girl. He didn't deny the attack (well, he got caught on film, you know), but he excused himself saying he was "very drunk".

That's a new one. "Yes, I've brutally attacked a random girl in the train, screaming racial slurs. I kicked her head, but you have to forgive me, I was drunk."

The man was arrested, but he was released the same day, "on provisional charges of causing injury with racist motives." Fortunately, on Wednesday prosecutors ordered the re-arrest of Martinez.

According to Monsters and Critics:

"The girl arrived at the court in Sant Boi de Llobregat near Barcelona in the company of two representatives of the Ecuadorian consulate on Thursday. Doctors were to examine her to determine the seriousness of her injuries.

The judge was to question her, the attacker and the Argentine witness to determine whether Martinez should be jailed."

I hope they are not considering to punish this moron (or not) based on the seriousness of the girl's injuries. He has done a horrible thing, and the Spanish government should make an example out of him. I've heard they have a big problem with Ecuadorians and other Latinos in Spain - and I really hope the government will send a message to the stupid racists out there: "It's not ok to attack people because of their ethnicity or nationality!"

Here's the video of the attack. It's disgusting.

More info:

Spain: "Racist" attack against Ecuadorian girl
Spain re-arrests racist assaulter
Ecuadoreans Outraged for Spanish Aggression to Peer
Ecuador takes on 'racist attack'