Investigation Launched Over Flag Display
Barcelona City Council has opened an investigative file into Gonzalo de Oro, the municipal group leader of Vox in Barcelona, for the "improper use" of the council's balcony in Plaça de Sant Jaume. The action follows an incident on 2 September when De Oro and Catalan Parliament MP Joan Garriga displayed banners bearing the flag of Ceuta and the Spanish national flag from the balcony during a demonstration. The move was confirmed at a meeting of the Council’s Board of Spokespersons held on the morning of 8 September. According to reports from La Razón, the file was approved unanimously, with support from all other political groups including the PP, PSC, ERC, Junts and BComú.
The opening of the investigative file marks a formal response to what the council describes as unauthorised political use of a public institutional space.
Demonstrations Draw Police Presence
On 2 September, two opposing demonstrations took place in Plaça de Sant Jaume regarding the political situation in Ceuta. The pro-Ceuta rally, supported by Vox and the PP, drew approximately 1,500 people, according to the Guàrdia Urbana. A separate anti-racist gathering organised by social and civic groups attracted around 700 participants. To maintain order, the Mossos d'Esquadra established a security cordon separating the two groups. The regional police force did not report any major incidents during the event.
Precedent for Balcony Political Displays
The use of the City Council balcony for symbolic political gestures is not unprecedented. In 2015, during Mercè festivities, ERC councillors displayed an "estelada", the Catalan independence flag, prompting a counter-display of the Spanish flag by PP councillors. That flag was later removed by then-first deputy mayor Gerardo Pisarello. A similar act occurred in October 2019, when ERC’s Ernest Maragall and current mayoral candidate Elisenda Alamany hung a banner from a council window calling for the release of political prisoners during a large pro-independence demonstration.
De Oro Faces Scrutiny Ahead of Elections
Gonzalo de Oro is emerging as Vox’s candidate for mayor in the upcoming May 2027 municipal elections. However, recent polling data from the 2026 Barcelona Barometer survey suggests limited public recognition: only 13.4% of respondents said they were familiar with him, and he received a leadership approval rating of 2.6 out of 10. Political analysts note that the investigation may influence public perception in the lead-up to next year’s vote, particularly as the council asserts protocols around the use of official buildings for partisan expression.
Primary sources: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Barcelona City Council, ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by totbarcelona.cat, larazon.es, cope.es, europapress.es, Diario Dia, Barna Diario, cronicaglobal.elespanol.com, elcatalan.es, Tot Barcelona.
