The INA condemns the murder of the citizen of Chinese origin

The International Nightlife Association has decided to take action and privately prosecute the case opened after a Chinese citizen was killed 6 days ago outside of a nightclub in the Olympic Port of Barcelona. As stated by Joaquim Boadas de Quintana, General Secretary of the International Nightlife Association, "Without prejudice to any of the nightlife venues located in said port space are members of our organization, we understand that damage to the image of the sector goes far beyond the premises of the Olympic Port of Barcelona since, given its great media impact, they have unfairly and seriously harmed the entire nightlife sector of the city and even the Barcelona brand since, mistakenly, it you may think that Barcelona is an insecure city when in reality it is not, a fact that seriously damages its external image and therefore tourism". Boadas took also the opportunity to assess very positively the decision to increase police presence in said space and has claimed that more police presence in highly crowded nightlife spaces and prevention, are vital when it comes to avoiding incidents such as the ones we regret to see today.
 
The International Nightlife Association and many nightlife entrepreneurs work night after night to dignify the sector by improving quality, civility and safety offered by our venues even by implementing international seals of excellence. For this reason, we cannot remain impassive in the face of very serious incidents like this. And for this reason, we not only condemn and reject them, but we also take action and will request a more serious penalty to be enforced in the Criminal Spanish Code (up to 25 years in prison) for its perpetrators, so that it serves as a warning for them as well as a warning to those who may think that murdering someone inside or near a nightlife venue  will be free to go. 
 
It is obvious, that events like these unfairly damage the image of nightlife venues worldwide, since the false appearance that going out at night is dangerous is created, when this really is not so. We are faced with a totally isolated and exceptional case since, fortunately, it does not happen often in Barcelona or in other places in the world. The people responsible for the incident were supposedly a group of Russian citizens who apparently, in cold blood, decided to end the life of a citizen of Chinese origin by the mere fact of being of Asian origin, a fact that still would make the facts more reprehensible - if possible - by adding a racist component, all of which we manifest "prima facie" and without prejudice to the outcome of the investigations that are carried out.
 
Given the international scope of the tragedy, we have been forced to seek maximum support for our action so we publicize it internationally. In this regard, Camilo Ospina Guzmán, Vice President of the International Nightlife Association and President of the Nightlife Association of Colombia (ASOBARES) stated the following: "The International Nightlife Association has member nightlife venues in China and in Spain and we cannot allow despicable acts like these to occur in China, or in Spain, or in any other country in the world." The Vice President took the opportunity to transfer his condolences to the victim's family and called for responsibility, respect and education in nightlife spaces, strongly charging against the alleged perpetrators, which, unilaterally and inexplicably decided to carry out this unacceptable action that ended in tragedy.