Barça issue statement as politicians join police violence debate | OneFootball

FC Barcelona has condemned the “disproportionate use of force” against supporters ahead of their LaLiga match against Elche on Sunday.

Footage circulating on social media, which has been shared by Catalan media outlets including El Nacional, purports to show one Barcelona fan being dragged from a larger group of supporters and pinned to the ground by police officers before being escorted away from the stadium.

The fan – who, according to ARA is a minor – was seen to be holding an Estelada, a version of the Catalan senyera flag that features a star and represents the fight for independence from Spain. The flag is understood to have been confiscated, although the regional government in Elche denied that any Estelades were seized.

In a statement issued on Monday, FC Barcelona responded to the footage and insisted that “the club considers that the procedure for the arrest of one of our fans was disproportionate,” affirming that the club remains available “to offer the arrested fan and his family any support they may need.”

It continues: “Furthermore, FC Barcelona regrets that, once again, police officers confiscated Estelades from blaugrana fans. The Estelada is a legal symbol and displaying it constitutes a legitimate manifestation of the freedom of expression, and cannot be considered, by itself, as an incitement of hatred or violence.

“FC Barcelona awaits explanations corresponding to the events and reserves the right to take actions that it considers fit to defend the integrity, the rights, and the freedom of expression of its members and fans, both at the Spotify Camp Nou and at stadiums of rival teams.”

Carles Puigdemont – who served as President of Catalunya during the independence referendum of 2017 and the ensuing constitutional crisis that ultimately led to the dissolution of the Catalan Parliament – also condemned the violence, saying in a statement on Instagram that “in a sane society, this would be intolerable.

“Independence comes with a heavy price to pay – I can explain that to you from exile – but the cost of dependence on Spain is unbearable,” he concluded, referring to the time he spent exiled in Belgium after proclaiming Catalan independence in 2017.

There has been no public statement from the current president of Catalunya, Salvador Illa.