Estepona honours Spain’s skateboard hero Ignacio Echeverria, nine years after London terror attack 

Estepona have dedicated a newly renovated sports area in the Cancelada district naming it after London terror attack hero Ignacio Echeverria. 

Who was Ignacio Echeverria?

Ignacio Echeverria was a Spanish lawyer and banker who grew up in Las Rozas near Madrid. He balanced a professional career with a passion for skating, surfing and squash, later moving to London to work for HSBC as a financial crime analyst specialising in money‑laundering detection. 

The night he became the ‘skateboard hero’

Ignacio was returning from an evening of skateboarding on June 3 2017 when the London Bridge attackers launched their assault. His friend Guillermo initially thought they had come across a fight before realising a woman was being stabbed. Ignacio immediately stepped in, using his skateboard to strike the attacker and give others time to escape.
He then attempted to stop another terrorist who was attacking a police officer. A third assailant stabbed him twice in the back, and he died from his injuries. An awards committee later concluded that his actions “undoubtedly prevented further loss of life”.

Awards and tributes from around the world

Spain posthumously awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit, recognising exceptional service. King Felipe VI paid tribute to him during a state visit to London.
In October 2018, Queen Elizabeth II presented his parents with the George Medal at Buckingham Palace. The citation noted that Ignacio knowingly faced attackers armed with knives, acting to protect others despite the danger.

His parents donated his skateboard to the Foundation of Victims of Terrorism, saying they hoped his example would inspire young people. In Las Rozas, his former school was renamed in his honour, a three‑minute silence was held in the Plaza Mayor, and a large skateboarding rally took place. His story has since been told in the musical Skate Hero and the documentary El Abogado.

Estepona’s new tribute in Cancelada

Estepona inaugurated a newly renovated sports area in the Cancelada district on May 23 naming it after Ignacio Echeverria. Located on Avenida de Las Palmeras, the area now includes a calisthenics park, two petanque courts and a vandal‑proof table tennis table constructed from galvanised and stainless steel.

Festivities featured a pétanque match, a CrossFit exhibition and a calisthenics demonstration. A plaque was unveiled at 1.30pm, followed by a skateboarding display and a paella tasting. 

Ignacio’s father Joaquin attended, along with the British Vice‑Consul in Malaga, Miriam Perez.
Skate parks across Spain now carry Ignacio Echeverria’s name, and Estepona has added its own lasting tribute to a man whose courage on that June night continues to be remembered.