A specialized unit within Madrid’s Hate Crimes Group, part of the Information Brigade, is actively pursuing a case centered on sexist chants and insults directed at students at the Elias Ahuja residence hall, a facility linked to the Augustinian educational community. National Police investigators have taken the lead, under the direction of the Hate Crimes Prosecutor, to identify those involved and reconstruct the events.
A routine part of the inquiry involves gathering statements from university administrators and students connected to Elias Ahuja and the Santa Monica university community, where the abusive remarks targeted individuals. Officials confirmed the existence of a yearly event long known as the tradition or the farm. Video footage from this year and last has been seized to scrutinize the incident and to trace those who circulated it online.
Investigators also examined a feminist demonstration held outside the residence in protest. They looked into a group from a women’s college linked to the event and reported sharing footage with friends accompanied by explicit taunts. To date, no corroborating videos have been found to conclusively verify these claims.
Content circulating on TikTok
The initial TikTok posting shows a male student from a neighboring college directing harsh verbal abuse at peers. He hurled insults at women and used demeaning phrases while doors inside the building opened and closed, revealing rooms filled with students who appeared to react with laughter and noise. Officials are assessing how the material spread and who watched or shared it across social media platforms.
Authorities plan to present findings to the prosecutor, who will determine whether any identifiable students should face hate crime charges. One individual has already been identified and expelled from the residence, described as a quick and visible participant in the event. The investigation continues to determine the scope of involvement and whether the actions constitute a crime under applicable law.
There is a basis for prosecuting under existing statutes addressing hate driven offenses. The relevant provision condemns directly or indirectly encouraging hatred, hostility, discrimination, or violence against a group or individual on grounds such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnic origin. The aim is to deter language or actions that inflame social tensions or target vulnerable groups based on protected characteristics.
Penalties for these offenses can range from several months to several years of imprisonment, depending on severity and circumstances. The law also imposes strong penalties for disseminating hateful messages through social networks, especially when those messages reach a broad audience, as in this Madrid college case.
Following the video’s appearance, public condemnation surged from political leaders and equality advocates. A government official and the minister responsible for gender equality issued statements urging accountability and reiterating that the conduct observed does not reflect the values taught at the involved institutions. Those responsible for wrongdoing have stressed that participation is not universal within the student body and that remorse and corrective actions are expected from those implicated.