Homophobic harassment in Vigo: a preacher is judged

A man who preached the Bible on Prince Street sits in the dock, accused of insulting a gay waiter during the summer of 2025.
The prosecution requests 1 year and 6 months in prison, with aggravating circumstances of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The defense requests full acquittal.
The victim suffered a panic attack and ended up leaving his job.

The Provincial Court of Pontevedra, in Vigo, has judged a case of homophobic harassment in Vigo: a man who preached in front of a café on Prince Street is accused of insulting a waiter for being homosexual between June and August 2025. The prosecution requests one and a half years in prison.

What happened on Prince Street?

According to the prosecution, the accused would preach in front of the café where the young man worked and directed insults and homophobic phrases at him. Among them, that “homosexuals will go to hell”. On one occasion, according to the accusation, he called him “faggot” and ordered him to kneel and repent.

The waiter testified in court that the insults were repeated two or three times a week throughout the summer. The manager of the establishment confirmed that she had witnessed some episodes.

The harassment caused him a panic attack and he ended up leaving his job. It was two women who alerted the National Police, who arrested the accused.

What has the accused said in court?

The accused admits that he preaches against “homosexuality and lesbianism”, but denies having called the waiter “faggot”. He claims that his message was directed to the general public and not to any specific person.

The officers who arrested him stated that he was still preaching at the time of the arrest and that he repeated phrases against lesbians. In his final statement, the man asserted that he does not feel hatred towards the waiter and quoted the mandate to love thy neighbor.

What do the prosecution and the defense request?

The prosecution requests 1 year and 6 months in prison for a crime against fundamental rights in conjunction with a crime against moral integrity, with aggravating circumstances of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Additionally, it demands:

A 3,000 euro fine.
6 and a half years of disqualification to work in education, teaching, sports, and leisure.
A 3,000 euro compensation for moral damages to the victim.

The defense requests full acquittal: it considers that what he said was part of his preaching and was not directed at anyone in particular.

Where is the line between preaching and insulting?

The case raises whether a religious discourse can become a crime when it is directed, time and again, against a specific person because of their sexual orientation. The accusation maintains that there were personal and repeated insults against the waiter. The defense presents it as general preaching.

The sentence is not yet known. When it is, it will say whether that line was crossed in Vigo.
You may be interested: Homophobic persecution in Vigo: several young people identified · Hate crime in Madrid: six months in prison for insulting two women who were kissing

- Advertisement -