Barcelona City Council’s Board of Spokespersons approved an institutional declaration on Tuesday, 15 September, condemning police violence linked to the display of estelada flags, the Catalan pro-independence flag, in sports grounds. The declaration calls on state authorities to protect peaceful political expression, a position that could lead the council to seek an Ombudsman investigation into alleged discriminatory conduct by state security forces.
The initiative was presented by Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), a pro-independence political party. According to Tot Barcelona, it was supported by the Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC), the Catalan Socialist party, Junts per Barcelona and Barcelona en Comú.
Two reported incidents involving supporters
The declaration followed reports that a young football supporter was assaulted by National Police officers near Elche’s Martínez Valero Stadium on 23 August while carrying an estelada. It also refers to a complaint by Club Esportiu Europa over police action against one of its supporters during a match in Alcorcón.
Europa said the supporter was grabbed by the neck, thrown to the ground and beaten. The club described the police action as disproportionate.
Declaration calls for Ombudsman inquiry
The council text expresses support for supporters affected by the reported incidents and condemns Catalanophobic chants or expressions at sporting, cultural, social and public events.
“The State must pursue violence and hatred, not political disagreement,” the declaration states. “We cannot normalise an independence flag being treated as if it were a threat.”
It says restrictions on expression in sports settings should concern conduct that incites violence, threatens, insults or harasses people or groups, or contains racist, xenophobic or intolerant content.
The declaration asks Barcelona City Council to seek a dedicated Ombudsman investigation into possible fundamental-rights violations and whether police forces maintained the required political neutrality. Such an inquiry would examine the alleged discriminatory actions referred to in the declaration.
Reported by totbarcelona.cat, Tot Barcelona.
