Cristo Díaz, a citizen of Tenerife, has shared on social media that he was subjected to a homophobic incident by the staff at the Arona municipal depot and local police. The events took place on Monday, February 26, while the man was trying to retrieve his vehicle. According to his account in the video, after continuous mocking from the worker, he decided to file a complaint, took out his mobile phone, and started recording. It was at that moment when the officer allegedly whispered in his ear, “Look, you faggot, you’re going to learn how things are done here.”
Cristo Díaz (@elcristito), the alleged victim of the incident, was fined for driving without insurance. His car was impounded, and in order to get it back, he needed to pay an increasing amount of money each day. After completing the necessary procedures, he arrived to retrieve his vehicle.
As the complainant describes on social media, both the worker and the police officer maintained a haughty attitude throughout. “They were talking loudly among themselves, mocking my situation,” he explains. While he was providing the required documentation, he overheard conversations like: “This guy could have killed someone, no insurance, and now he’s acting all good” or “I don’t understand, he’s paying €1,500 in fines, taxis, and a new insurance and he’s complaining about the impound costs.”
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In the video shared on Facebook and TikTok, the man, still with tears in his eyes, tries to recount what happened. “The officer tried to snatch my phone, but when I told him not to touch me because there were cameras, he insulted me in a whisper,” he says. Additionally, he mentions that the officer was very agitated, as he first pushed him and tried to remove him, then called for backup. He heard them say, “yes, let’s all go out now and drag him.” He emphasizes that he saw hatred and anger in the workers’ faces throughout the incident.
“I’m 37 years old, I left crying, but I’ll be fine. However, imagine if it had been a 20-year-old, what would have happened,” Cristo Díaz concluded the video. Following the uproar, he went to the National Police station located right across from the municipal depot. There, he reported both the worker and the officer for “harassment, abuse of power, and homophobia.”
No Statements Yet from the Town Hall
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As of now, there have been no public statements from the Arona City Council. According to information obtained by EL DÍA, the Security Department is investigating all the details. Once the report is completed, appropriate actions will be taken. In the meantime, awaiting further information, Alexis Gómez, the Security Councillor, will not be making any comments.
