I am writing this review because what happened to me at Shôko Madrid last night was deeply…read moreupsetting and, in my experience, completely unacceptable.
I was initially told that I was in the wrong area and was asked to leave. I had absolutely no problem complying with that request. I left voluntarily and without causing any issue. There was no argument, no resistance, and no reason for the situation to escalate.
The situation changed when security began interacting with me physically. At one point, I asked a security guard to stop touching me in an area where I have scars. Rather than simply respecting that request, the interaction became hostile. I also felt that I was being treated differently because I am transgender, which made the situation particularly distressing and humiliating.
After security pushed me out of the club, I asked for the names of the security personnel involved. I wanted to know who I had been dealing with and who had physically interacted with me. Not one of the security guards would give me their name.
What happened next was the most disturbing part of the entire incident.
Despite the fact that I had already left the club and was not resisting or attempting to return inside, security tackled me to the ground. I did not understand why I was being physically restrained, and I did not believe I was presenting a threat that justified what happened.
Once I was on the ground, one of the security guards sat on top of me for what felt like several minutes. I repeatedly yelled for him to get off me. I was clearly telling him that I wanted him to stop and get off my body, yet the restraint continued. Being pinned to the ground by someone significantly stronger than me while repeatedly asking them to get off was frightening and extremely distressing.
There is a huge difference between removing someone from a venue and physically assaulting or restraining someone after they have already complied with an instruction to leave. From my perspective, there was no justification for escalating the situation to the point where I was tackled and held on the ground.
The fact that I had specifically asked security not to touch me in an area where I have scars makes the experience even more upsetting. Nobody should have to explain that they have vulnerable or injured areas of their body in order to have their physical boundaries respected.
I am also extremely concerned about the apparent refusal of the security staff to identify themselves. If security personnel physically restrain or use force against someone, I believe they should be accountable for their actions. Asking for a name should not result in every member of the security team refusing to identify themselves.
As a transgender person, the experience was particularly upsetting because I felt that my identity played a role in the hostility I received. I cannot speak to what was in the minds of the individual security guards, but I can speak to how I was treated and how the interaction made me feel. I felt targeted, humiliated, and unsafe.
Going to a nightclub should not result in someone being physically restrained on the ground after they have already complied with being asked to leave. Security staff have a responsibility to de-escalate situations and protect people's safety, not make an already uncomfortable situation significantly more frightening.
I am sharing this review so that other people particularly LGBTQ+ people and anyone who may have medical or physical vulnerabilities can make an informed decision about whether they feel comfortable going to this venue.
I hope Shôko Madrid takes incidents like this seriously and investigates what happened, including reviewing any available CCTV footage and identifying the security personnel who were involved.
