By Lucas Gutiérrez Photos: courtesy of JC and SS (image taken minutes before the attack) Jonathan Castellari, the young man hospitalized following a homophobic attack on Friday in Buenos Aires, has already testified before the court and was discharged this afternoon. He remains shocked, convinced that it was not an isolated incident but a case of homophobia, as he told Presentes. Due to his injuries, he will need to remain under medical supervision. The investigation into the attack is being handled by the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 49, headed by prosecutor María Paula Asaro. It is hoped that based on the initial results of the forensic investigation, the attackers will be identified.

READ MORE: Brutal homophobic attack on member of the Ciervos Pampas rugby team

The complaint

The lawyer representing Jonathan and Sebastián Sierra—the friend who was with Jonathan at the time of the attack—is Gastón Llopart. Yesterday, he and Sierra filed a complaint with UFEM, the Specialized Prosecutor's Unit for Violence Against Women and LGBTI People of the Public Prosecutor's Office. "This is the best place where victims can feel supported," Llopart told Presentes. "Yesterday we took statements from one of the two victims and today from the other, at the Güemes Clinic. We confirmed that a case has already been opened in an investigative prosecutor's office. I contacted her and informed her of our actions, but UFEM will also be collaborating on the case," Mariela Labozetta, head of UFEM, told Presentes. The data reveals a serious increase in reports of violence against LGBTI people. So far in 2017, the Observatory of Hate Crimes against the LGBT community, run by the Ombudsman's Office of the City of Buenos Aires/ADPRA and FALGBT (Argentine Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Trans), has recorded 61 cases of physical violence against LGBTIQ people in the country. Last year, in contrast, according to the same source, 18 cases of physical violence were recorded (not including murders).

Hate speech and discrimination

Jonathan is 25 years old, a multimedia designer and part of Ciervos Pampas, the first sexually diverse rugby team in Latin America.

“The way to combat this homophobic violence is with love.”

“He received all that love, and it helped him make an amazing recovery,” said Sebastián Sierra, 24, the friend who was with him at the time of the homophobic attack. Since the Friday of the attack, Sebastián has been the spokesperson demanding justice and a response from politicians to stop homophobia. “We seek to fight for a more equal society, for this to be a precedent, for there to be a before and after. For this to serve as a reminder that this will never happen again,” said Sierra. Part of this effort to raise awareness that Jonathan, Sebastián, and the Ciervos Pampas rugby team are undertaking these days is to visit the media. They recount not only what happened to 'Jony' but also emphasize the urgent need to stop homophobia—a violence that can also become media-driven.

Media violence

This Monday afternoon, Sebastián Sierra visited the Channel 13 program 'Diario de Mariana'. While he was chatting with the host, journalist Martín Ciccioli chimed in. “Violence is violence everywhere,” he said. Ciccioli. And he added that “the focus and the central issue is violence, the dangerous early mornings, and the cowardly acts committed by both men and women.” When Sierra expressed that under those circumstances he preferred not to speak with the panelist, Ciccioli responded by considering it “reverse discrimination.” Host Mariana Fabbiani intervened, telling Ciccioli he was wrong and resuming the interview. In a conversation with Presentes, Sebastián said: “I felt terrible (about the exchange with Ciccioli). I wanted to change the focus. My visit was because of an act of homophobia, because my best friend is hospitalized. My best friend's eye was injured. I felt powerless. I was able to make the difference clear: It's not violence, it's homophobia.The words with which Sebastián closed that interview were powerful: “The way to combat this homophobic violence is with love.” He has been repeating this since Friday. And he explained to this publication that he is speaking “of a warrior-like and mobilizing love.” Meanwhile, he continues to seek justice alongside Jonathan and demands that this attack not be considered an isolated incident. The attack “Don’t scratch my car!” one of the attackers yelled as Jonathan was beaten by his companions. Sebastián remembers this and says, “I thought they were going to kill him.” All of this happened in the McDonald’s parking lot where Jonathan had gone out to smoke. “I saw from inside that something was happening, and when I came out, the rest of the group came out and started hitting him, calling him a faggot and a bunch of homophobic slurs. I tried to defend him, but I couldn’t; then they let him go.” Sebastián says through tears.

The caring nurse

A nurse from the Güemes Sanatorium, who was having coffee, provided first aid to Jonathan. She was also the one who shouted at and chased away the group of homophobes who wanted to continue beating Jonathan, explained a source who preferred to remain anonymous, a fact later confirmed by Sebastián. On his Instagram account, Sebastián described the nurse as “a heroine, humble, hardworking, full of light and love, and always with a smile.” He then shared a picture of the hug the three of them shared Sunday night. “Thanks to her, Jonathan is recovering today. We owe her everything,” he said. On Friday, after the victim was admitted to the sanatorium's emergency room, the attackers showed up. “Calm down, crazy woman, look at how you're talking,” was one of them's response when Sebastián confronted them, shouting. Sierra explains that until the nurse reappeared and clarified that there hadn't been a fight but an assault, the people present didn't intervene. No one was arrested. Now, the authorities are working to identify the attackers. While this was happening, Jonathan took a photo that later circulated on social media, documenting the brutal beating. Castellari then wrote a statement thanking everyone for their loving messages of support and offering a manifesto: “These are messages that will help me continue fighting for a society free of homophobia.” The message It was removed from Facebook for containing the word 'faggot' in its text. Sebastián explains that they then crossed it out and reposted it to bring attention to the situation. “I feel pain in my soul,” says Jonathan, referring more to this act of violence, discrimination, and sexism than to the physical blows. María Rachid, (head of the Institute Against Discrimination of the Ombudsman's Office of the City of Buenos Aires and Secretary General of the FALGBT) told Presentes that the Ombudsman's Office received the complaint and filed it with INADI (National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism). “We will file as plaintiffs as the Federation (FALGBT) and the Ombudsman's Office of the City of Buenos Aires,” Rachid said three days ago. She also contacted the Minister of Security of the City of Buenos Aires, Martín Ocampo. “We asked him to request and locate the security camera footage from the area and obtain the images of the moment it all happened. He promised to do everything possible to provide it to the Justice system,” María Rachid said. Ocampo pledged to investigate why the police did not respond to calls made by McDonald's staff, the Güemes sanatorium, and the victim's colleagues.