Early in the morning, a gay Argentinian rugby player was viciously beaten in an altercation his team says was a “brutal homophobic attack.”
Jonathan Castellari was out buying breakfast at 6 a.m. with a friend in Bueno Aires when seven men targeted him, allegedly calling him antigay slurs as they beat him.
Castellari was transported to a nearby hospital, having sustained a fractured eye.
A friend of Castellari posted photos of the aftermath:
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Jonathan es parte de nuestro equipo en @basubte . Esta mañana, mientras desayunaba en Av. Córdoba y Medrano fue atacado salvajemente por 7 varones. ¿El motivo? Usar la remera que ves en la foto. No podemos aceptar la violencia (sigue) pic.twitter.com/sfRttG9Dfo
— Franco Moccia (@francomoccia) December 1, 2017
“Today at 6am, a group attacked my friend to within an inch of his life, shouting ’Fa*got’ and ’Fucking fa*got,” the message reads in Spanish. “It came just days after we were celebrating Gay Pride. He doesn’t know how many stitches he will need and they need to operate after a fracture in some part of his eye. Everything hurts.”
Castellari’s rugby club, Argentina’s Ciervos Pampas, posted to Facebook with words of support for their injured player. They also called on police to label the attack as a hate crime, noting it was “not the consequence of a fight but a brutal homophobic attack.”
The team has spoken out against LGBT discrimination in the past.
Just last month, we reported that the festivities at Buenos Aires Pride were marred by an outburst of violence when three men — one carrying a hockey stick — attacked an attendee.
ChrisK
Places like Argentina, Brazil are very violent. Allot of gangs and kidnappings.
Knight
I’m having some problem with the circumstances here. Argentina is hands-down the most progressive and gay-friendly spot in Latin America (and possibly THE Americas..since there gays can even donate blood, whereas neither gay nor Bisexuals can do so in the US). There are strict anti-hate laws on the books, and I know the area this happened very well; in the US it would be the equivalent of happening at a California Pizza Kitchen (McDonalds is not “low-end” in Argentina or Europe) in an area like Century City in Los Angeles. The area is very up-scale, metropolitan and there is a lot of cameras, surveillance and police presence. Argentina has very low (none that I’ve ever heard about) homophobic assault in maybe over the last 10 years…and if a roving band of gay-bashers wanted a victim, they would have most likely gone to an area where they wouldn’t be so conspicuous. Plus…neither of the victims looks particularly “gay” or effeminate…so just how would anyone know/suspect they are gay to begin with?
Looks to me like bad behavior/a mutual altercation that went wrong, where the guy who got the worst of the brawl is now labeling “homophobia” after the fact for sympathy. If this happened ANYWHERE else in Latin America, I wouldn’t think twice about believing it. But Buenos Aires??? Nah…something is missing/wrong here.
DCguy
Hey Queerty, here is another example of the anti-lgbt trolls No Bro’s screenames trying to excuse or deflect attacks on lgbts. In thi case the screename “Knight” trying to do what they always do. ALWAYS give cover for anti-lgbt bigots, ALWAYS cast doubt on any attacks against lgbts, etc…
ham
NO, Argentina is NOT the most gay friendly spot in L.A. Move away from the Buenos Aires neighborhoods used to gay people and you are in socially conservative land. That is the same for progressive cities across the region (including the U.S.) We have places with friendly governments, but social mores are still slow to change.
Hussain-TheCanadian
This is horrible, I hope they catch those little men, who have no masculinity, honor, pride, or manhood at all, attacking a person like a pack of dogs because they cannot deal – The definition of a snowflake right here – I hope they catch them and introduce them to a really tight cell cage.
Knight
I’m having some problem with the circumstances here. Argentina is hands-down the most progressive and gay-friendly spot in Latin America (and possibly THE Americas..since there gays can even donate blood, whereas neither gay nor Bisexuals can do so in the US). There are strict anti-hate laws on the books, and I know the area this happened very well; in the US it would be the equivalent of happening at a California Pizza Kitchen (McDonalds is not “low-end” in Argentina or Europe) in an area like Century City in Los Angeles. The area is very up-scale, metropolitan and there is a lot of cameras, surveillance and police presence. Argentina has very low (none that I’ve ever heard about) homophobic assault in maybe over the last 10 years…and if a roving band of gay-bashers wanted a victim, they would have most likely gone to an area where they wouldn’t be so conspicuous. Plus…neither of the victims looks particularly “gay” or effeminate…so just how would anyone know/suspect they are gay to begin with?
Looks to me like bad behavior/a mutual altercation that went wrong, where the guy who got the worst of the brawl is now labeling “homophobia” after the fact for sympathy. If this happened ANYWHERE else in Latin America, I wouldn’t think twice about believing it. But Buenos Aires??? Nah…something is missing/wrong here.
drmiller
Knight, I can see the point you’re trying to make here, and I’m willing to hear your perspective and learn from your experience in this neighborhood/country/city to which I have never traveled and know nothing about. Totally. But come on man. This dude was horribly beaten. Whatever your beliefs are, I think the one thing that is not devisive or partisan is that violence is not this answer. Maybe there are details we haven’t heard yet but… whatever the situation, no one deserves to be beaten like this. Not okay.
Redmage
@drmiller
Nothing of what Knight said, points to him condoning anyone being beaten, so saying that “nobody deserves to be beaten like this”, is quite irrelevant.. Of course nobody does, unfortunately we have evil people in the world, who enjoy bringing harm to others, its just the dark side of humanity.. Laws will not fix nor protect, because evil people care nothing for laws and civility.
Unfortunately we also have a lot of people who also make stuff up, to get attention, or to set an agenda.. Its sad but very true.
drmiller
@redmage I did not say Knight was condoning violence.
I do not agree with victim blaming or victim bashing. I do not agree with the philosophy of hearing a horrible story like this and questioning the victim. The same exact framework has been used on the women and men coming forward during this hurricane of sexual harassment charges. This person was horribly beaten, and while certainly I’m open to hearing more facts and an investigation, my knee-jerk reaction is not to question to victim. He’s laying in a hospital bed. Call me crazy, but I think that’s enough for me not doubt his credibility particularly when gay bashing like this is not uncommon. This happens all the time. There is no legitimate reason to doubt him (in my opinion).
That is my point.
Knight
Red – thanks. That “no one deserves to be beaten like this” was just too big of a face-palm to comment on. I appreciate you seeing my comments clearly for what they were.
DrMiller, you say “…particularly when gay bashing like this is not uncommon. This happens all the time.” To which I’m telling you..No, it doesn’t…not in Argentina (or more specifically in Buenos Aires). As I said, Argentina is the most “gay friendly” country in Latin America. Gay bashing is extremely rare, and you can check the Amnesty International yearly report to verify. So, no…I am not ridiculously condoning anyone’s attack. I’m saying there are pieces of this story that I am uncomfortable with, specifically given the amount of instances that have later been found to be hoaxes. You want to give him the benefit of the doubt, fine. Do that. Not taking that from you. But I stand by my opinion, specifically since it’s been FIVE days since this happen, and NOTHING has come out since (i.e. this happened in a place surrounded by cameras…yet no one has been identified NOR has there been any follow-up)
crewship
Homophobic attacks can happen anywhere, even more tolerant places. Stop treating it like an attack on your national honor and treat it like it is: a hate crime. Accusing a victim of abuse of being a liar just because it makes your city look bad is a terrible thing to do.
Knight
Odd we can accept the fact that you are a misinformed and ignorant bigot. If you knew the first thing about Argentina, you’d know it is extremely secular and as I said below, one of the most progressive, socialist, and gay-friendly countries on the planet. Do you know how many supposed “hate crimes” against LGBT have turned out to be fake/hoaxes this year in the US? If/when this one turns out to be a hoax, are you prepared to take back that comment and admit that you are just an ignorant troll?
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2016/7/01/21-lgbt-people-accused-faking-hate-crime
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mgvwep/why-do-people-fake-hate-crimes
https://nypost.com/2016/11/13/the-fake-post-election-hate-crime-epidemic-a-muslim-womans-vote-for-trump-and-other-commentary/
Knight
See my comment to you above
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2016/7/01/21-lgbt-people-accused-faking-hate-crime
Knight
I’m neither ignorant nor stupid, and back up what I say with fact and source. You are just a ranting, emotionally unstable/imbalanced troll who has no basis in reality. In a Christian majority country, it would stand to reason that most people in prison are also Christian…same as the fact most people in prison in Pakistan, Iran, yemen etc are muslim.
I’m not going to ask what kind of stupid you are, because it really doesn’t matter. It’s pretty clear to everyone here…even non-Christians.
Knight
LOL…if “google” or “the internet” is your so-called education, then that speaks volumes. There are both good and unreliable sources for anything you search for on google…you apparently do not know the difference, which is why you think you can make such blatantly stupid comments without being challenged. So, prove your statement: “there are proportionally just as many Christian terrorists as there are Muslim terrorists”. Go ahead…use any source you feel is reliable, and prove it.
Because I can prove you wrong(again) very easily. But you made the statement…so prove it.
Redmage
@oddchild1
Just stop, you’re embarrassing yourself.. Every post you make, you look more and more like a fool. There is nothing within the bible, nor anything that Jesus preached, that condoned killing, hurting, or hating others.. If that is where your heart and mind is at, you’re not a follower of Christ period.
The people who call themselves Christians, who do evil to others, or wish evil upon others- are committing the only sin you cannot be forgiven for- because you’re basically using god’s name to do evil, therefore making god look evil.
Also don’t try to use Old Testament as an example… Another mistake ignorant fools do. The world was very different when this came into play, mankind was very different.. The laws of Old Testament as harsh as they were allowed the Israelite people to survive (which they almost did not), and grow.. Had these laws never been in place, which allowed certain events to take place.. Jesus wouldn’t have been brought into the world.
Jesus is the redeemer of man, and he was to give mankind a new hope for ALL people. The faith or “truth” or “the way” as Jesus called it (Christians was the name a Roman historian gave it) was primarily an Israelite thing, but now it was for all people. Jesus was also forming a new covenant, pushing aside many of the harsh laws of Old Testament, and bringing in New Testament..
The main themes of Christianity is understanding you are imperfect, but do your best to live as well as you can with Christ’s teachings, love, and forgiveness.. If you’re doing that, or feeling that… You’re a Christian in name only, if you dare call yourself one.
Again… I can’t say the same for Islam, and I’d have a page of never ending links showing the terrors of Islamic fascism.. I’m sick (as well as others are) of ignorant people trying to put Christianity, and Islam in the same boat.. Its ignorant, dangerous, and it isn’t helping out the good Muslims, who are fighting to reform Islam. Christianity has a dark past starting with Europe, because it strayed away from what Christ was about.. But even that had reformation.. When will Islam get theirs?
SiamSam
@oddchild1 What evidence is there these attackers were Christian? And we can have #NotAllMuslims every time an Islamist commits an atrocity we can use #NotAllChristians here
Redmage
@oddchild1
Grow up, and grow a brain.. I hope you’re a kid, because if not.. Its sad if you’re an adult, and so damn ignorant, uneducated, and bigoted.
Knight
Red sadly, I believe he is biologically an adult. And he is not alone on this board.
Sam how about #Notallqueertyposters? 😛
chris33133
Even the most progressive people can have individuals or small groups who are — to say the least — retrograde. So this single incident doesn’t cancel all the progress Argentina has made as regards gay rights. ….. However, its police and legal response will shed light on how progressive the area actually is. As additional evidence comes to light, we’ll learn more about the details of this attack. ….. As I learned from what happened to a college classmate of mine, a fractured eye can result in blindness in that eye; and these sorts of attacks can lead to years of night terrors and PTSD. I hope Castellari recovers quickly and manages to avoid these sorts of life-altering consequences.
DCguy
Notice the desperation of the Anti-lbt troll to keep saying that Argentina isn’t religious?
Over 70% of the country is Catholic and approximately 10% are Protestant. Nearly half the country says religion is very important to their daily lives.
Oh yeah, REALLY unreligious there aren’t they?
Nice try troll. Another attack on an lgbt and the first thing you desperately try to do is excuse the bigots and claim that there is something else going on.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@ knight
It doesn’t surprise me that you’re here defending what happened to our own community members in Argentina but on the Uzbekistan thread, you had no problem immediately jumping on the “ITS THE MUSLIMS” bandwagon.
Your hypocrisy is deafening.
Celtic
It never ceases to amaze me how the assailants travel in packs like wild, rabid dogs. Seven against one, three against one — cowards to their core. They deserve to be shot in cold blood. Yes, I said that.
Redmage
Yeah definitely going to have to agree with you being misinformed, ignorant, and bigoted.
There is huge difference between Christianity, and Islam… In Christianity doing acts of evil to others, is not something permitted. If you’re doing so, then you’re not following the teachings of Christ… If you’re doing these evil acts, and claiming it in the name of god.. Well then you’re basically doing the biggest and only unforgivable sin, which is blasphemy…
With Islam on the other hand.. Its ok… Not only is ok, of course not to Muslims who want to reform the faith, but get a lot of hell trying to do so.. From other Muslims, and even leftist who will call them Islamophobic for telling the truths, about the problems of Islam. But the media will try to downplay the story, or completely hide it.
This is indeed a problem, not so much in America yet.. But in Europe yes. There have been men who have been attacked/killed even raped, and the media will not talk about it, because “its not politically correct”.. In Chechnya today, there are concentration camps for gays.. Muslim owned, and operated.. But the media won’t really talk about it.. You be your ass they would though, if it were Christian.