Eight men were arrested on Friday, March 20, while hosting a sex party in Barcelona, Spain, which has been in lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus threat.
Since March 14, residents are being asked to leave home only for essential reasons including going to work, medical appointments or to buy food.
EL PAÍS, one of the largest Spanish language news outlets in the world, reports police received a tip from someone who said they were invited to the gathering.
According to reports, the hosts had extended the party invitation to 20-30 men.
After receiving information regarding the time and place of the party, plain-clothes police officers arrived at the apartment located in a central area of Barcelona, which had been rented for one week.
The Mossos d’Esquadra officers were allowed to enter the residence after identifying themselves where they found various party drugs including cocaine, crystal meth, speed, and “liquid ecstasy” (GHB).
One of the attendees was coughing and underwent testing for the coronavirus. The test results were negative for COVID-19.
All 8 of the men were arrested for possession of narcotic substances.
While an overwhelming majority of LGBTQ people are heeding the advice of medical professionals to self-isolate and stay at home as much as possible, a new survey by Queer Voices Heard found 28 percent would still go on dates, and 16 percent of respondents would still engage in hook-ups.
To state the obvious: a cocaine-fueled orgy is not a great idea during the current health threat. As the New York City Health Department recently recommended, “You are your safest sex partner.” The next safest person is someone you live with.
EL PAÍS reports that, to date, the death toll regarding COVID-19 infections in Spain has risen to 2,696, with 514 victims in the past 24 hours. The number of infections is nearing 40,000.
Coronavirus update:
– Death toll has risen to 2,696, with 514 victims last 24 hours
– More than 5,000 of Spain’s health workers have been infected with the coronavirus
– Andalusia considering converting exhibition centers into “large hospitals” if needed https://t.co/GJenKkeIoc— El País English Edition (@elpaisinenglish) March 24, 2020
In related news, organizers of the annual Gay Pride parade in Madrid announced on Tuesday that the event will be postponed until the “health and safety conditions are suitable.”
Since 1978, the Gay Pride event has been held in the country’s capital on the first weekend of July drawing nearly one million attendees and generating more than €100 million for the Madrid region, according to regional authorities.
