Catalan flag ban for Copa del Rey final: Barcelona to appeal to the Madrid courts
May 20, 2016 at 1:05 PM
Copa Del Rey final between Sevilla and Barcelona is knocking at the door, but Barcelona board is not happy with the ban on Catalan flags during the match and has launched a statement against the ban. The Catalan giants had already opposed the decision of not allowing their supporters to show the Catalan flags on Saturday, during the match at Madrid’s Vicente Calderon. The protest against the decision had been criticized by FC Barcelona vice-president Carles Vilarrubi, who also said that President Josep Maria Bartomeu may even miss the Copa Del Rey final.
However, Madrid governor Concepcion Dancausa said that the CDR final “must not be made a scene of political struggle” in declaring the ban.
An appeal to the Madrid courts will soon be made, confirms Barcelona authorities, as they claim that there has been “an infringement of the fundamental right to freedom of expression”.
“FC Barcelona has today [Thursday] filed an administrative appeal to the Madrid Courts for the protection of fundamental rights and a request for a preliminary injunction to suspend the decision that was announced by the delegate of the Community of Madrid,”
“This resolution prohibits the display of Estelada flags [the name given to flags supporting Catalan independence] at the Copa del Rey final which will take place on Sunday 22 May at the Vicente Calderon stadium, between FC Barcelona and Sevilla.
“The legal basis of the appeal presented by the club is the violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression and the lack of grounds for the measure because it presupposes a desire to be offensive with the use of the Estelada flags.
“With actions such as these, FC Barcelona defends, and will continue to defend, freedom of expression of its members and supporters.”
UEFA fined Barcelona over the presence of the Catalan flags in Copa final triumph over Athletic Bilbao last season, at the Nou Camp.
Although, Javier Tebas, the La Liga president, backed the Madrid courts’ decision.
Tebas told AS: “Estelades at that kind of game are a symbol which defends Spain’s destruction. Being a game in which public order needs to prevail, these symbols are not allowed.
“I understand and I respect the decision. Estelades can be on the street and also in Liga games, where they are not a problem. But speaking about Spanish Cup final, it’s better to ban that symbolism.”