Man convicted in Spain for violent anti‑Roma attack [editar]

• The events took place on 29 July 2024, when a homeless couple was humiliated with anti-Roma insults and physically assaulted by a man.
• Fundación Secretariado Gitano filed a complaint with the Gijón Public Prosecutor's Office specialising in hate crimes and has accompanied this extremely vulnerable couple throughout the proceedings, considering it a serious anti-Roma hate crime.
• On 4 November 2025, the Provincial Court of Gijón handed down a sentence condemning the aggressor to 9 months in prison and 4 years and 9 months of disqualification.

The Provincial Court of Asturias has convicted a man for an anti-Roma crime, for assaulting a Roma woman and her partner while humiliating and abusing them with anti-Roma insults.

The ruling, handed down on 4 November and notified to the victims last week, found that on 29 July 2024, the accused, who was sitting at a bar terrace, approached the Roma woman and her partner, whom he did not know, shouting expressions such as ‘fucking gypsy’ and ‘get lost, you fucking gypsy’. The woman, who has respiratory problems and is dependent on an oxygen machine, was trying to sit down on the terrace after storing some belongings in a storage room, as she and her partner were homeless. The man tried to defend his partner, at which point the accused struck him several times, causing him to lose hearing in one ear, and also pushed the woman.

After the incident, the assaulted couple contacted Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG), which provided them with specialised legal assistance through its programme IgualTrato (Equal Treatment), for the Non-Discrimination of Roma. The organisation filed a complaint with the Specialised Hate Crimes Prosecutor's Office, which subsequently led to the opening of legal proceedings, throughout which the victims were accompanied by FSG at all times, including during the oral trial.

The Provincial Court considers that the defendant committed two crimes, one of bodily harm and the other of harassment on anti-Roma grounds, in relation to the two victims. The sentence condemns the aggressor to 9 months in prison, a fine of 7 months with a daily rate of €8 and 4 years and 9 months of special disqualification, as well as compensation of €300 to each victim.

FSG welcomes this court ruling, as it condemns clearly anti-Roma behaviour that sought to intimidate and humiliate people because of their ethnic origin. It is important to highlight the role played by the victims who, despite being in a situation of serious vulnerability, had the courage to report the incidents and ensure that this type of hate crime does not go unpunished.

Sara Giménez, FSG’s director general, welcomed the ruling because of ‘the importance of reporting hate crimes and ensuring that they do not go unpunished, as they have no place in our rule of law. It is also important to recognise the harm caused to the victims because they belong to or are associated with a historically persecuted and discriminated population, such as the Roma.’

FSG's IgualTrato (Equal Treatment) programme is funded by the European Social Fund Plus and the 0.7% programme for Activities of Social Interest of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda.