Murcia kebab owner sues Socialist councilor over racist slurs

Murcia kebab owner sues Socialist councilor over racist slurs

Two versions, two cross-complaints, and the same venue in central Murcia. Víctor Sáez, the Councilor for Festivals, Youth, Tourism, and LGTBIQ+ Rights of the Lorquí City Council, filed a police report alleging a homophobic assault at a food establishment. The kebab owners responded with their own complaint, claiming the opposite: that the incident began due to the uncivil behavior of the councilor and his companion, and that they were unaware of the politician's sensual orientation. According to the account in the owners' complaint, the two men, dressed in traditional Huertano attire, attempted to use the restrooms, were told they were clogged, and upon refusal, began smashing a glass pane while demanding a complaints form and shouting racist insults. The family's lawyer, Manuel Chacón, confirmed this sequence to La Opinión de Murcia. The councilor, meanwhile, maintains he was a victim of an attack based on his sensual orientation and provided video evidence.

What each police report says

The kebab owners' complaint, obtained by La Opinión, describes a dispute starting over restroom access. Staff claimed the facilities were blocked and unusable. Customers, according to this version, became angry, argued that bathrooms must be open in Spain, and began issuing racist insults. The owner's husband told them that due to these comments, he would not provide a complaints form, though he eventually did so as it is a recognized consumer right. One of the men, wearing a red vest, broke a glass pane; the other, in a green vest, tried to break another, and an employee subdued him on the ground, positioning himself defensively in front of the display case. That employee went to Reina Sofía Hospital for injuries sustained. Other customers urged the two men to leave, and they departed, shouting in the street that it was a bad business and the owners were homophobic. A friend of the employee called the police. Officers verified damage to a glass pane and the entrance door.

The councilor's video and legal counterattack

The Socialist councilor made the episode public via Facebook, sharing a video of the moment and extensive text detailing how events unfolded. El Español exclusively accessed the complaint he filed with the National Police. Simultaneously, the restaurateur also reported the politician for an alleged hate crime stemming from the racist insults he claims to have received. The venue's owner visited the police station to file the complaint against the councilor. The family has also expressed antiestéticar of retaliation, having received several calls asking about opening and closing hours without requesting further information.

The point where both versions cannot be true simultaneously

The key issue lies in who started it. If the conflict began over the bathroom and escalated into racist insults, the homophobic assault alleged by the councilor falls apart. Conversely, if the insults were based on his sensual orientation, the venue's version does not hold up. The family's lawyer argues that the owners had no knowledge of the councilor's sensual orientation. In the video released by the councilor, a homophobic slur can reportedly be heard, complicating the thesis that nobody knew anything. Neither party has yet substantiated their account before a judge, and proceedings remain open. Public debate has swung between those accepting the establishment's version and those noting the councilor holds LGTBIQ+ rights responsibilities and that the video exists.

What is at stake for Lorquí City Council

The councilor is not just any private citizen: he is the Councilor for Festivals, Youth, Tourism, and LGTBIQ+ Rights in the Lorquí City Council, a municipality in the Region of Murcia. His position turns the episode into a matter of public image for the town hall and the local PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party). The cross-complaint leaves both parties in an uncomfortable position: the restaurateur faces accusations of a hate crime; the councilor faces accusations of property damage and racist insults. Neither has withdrawn the complaint nor publicly apologized. The police investigation continues.

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With two cross-complaints and video evidence involved, the case now depends on what the judicial inquiry establishes. No one has ruled out a settlement, but no one has taken the first step either.