King Felipe Confirms Posthumous Order of Civil Merit To Spanish London Attack Victim

At the Spanish Embassy in Kazakhstan on Friday, King Felipe VI signed a Royal Decree confirming the posthumous awarding of the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit to Ignacio Echeverría, the Spanish victim of last Saturday’s terrorist attack in London.

Mr Echeverría, who worked for HBSC in London, was given the honour by the Spanish Government on recommendation by Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy to recognise his “heroic and exemplary act” in trying to defend a woman from the three perpetrators at Borough Market.

“He was a good man, an exemplary citizen who on this tragic evening had the courage to face the terrorists to try and save the life of a young woman who was being attacked,” government spokesperson Inigo Mendez de Vigo said.

The Order of Civil Merit is awarded in seven categories (Grand Cross being the second highest) in recognition of “civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain”.

King Felipe is currently in Kazakhstan for the opening of the 2017 World EXPO, held in Astaná, with the theme ‘The Energy of the Future’ where he met with Kazakh President Nursultán Nazarbáyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The King has also had meetings with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping; the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev; and António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

El Rey firma en la Embajada en Kazajistán el Real Decreto por el que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Civil al héroe Ignacio Echeverría pic.twitter.com/9gMIgZdvPy

— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) June 9, 2017

El Rey asiste a la apertura de la @Expo2017Astana, sobre "La energía del futuro". https://t.co/4HKlutuVgp pic.twitter.com/rjsNFwo64w

— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) June 9, 2017

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Tagged Antonio Guterres, China, Felipe VI of Spain, Kazakhstan, Official Visit, Order of Civil Merit, Orders, President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, President Putin of Russia, President Xi of China, Russia, Terrorism, United Nations, Uzbekistan, World EXPO.