Òmnium Cultural, l’Assemblea Nacional Catalana i la Plataforma ProSeleccions Esportives Catalanes rebutgem de ple la proposta de multes al Barça, l’Athletic de Bilbao i diverses entitats sobiranistes catalanes per la xiulada a l’himne espanyol a la darrera final de la Copa de Rei.

Ho considerem un gravíssim atemptat a la llibertat d’expressió dels aficionats de tots dos equips, que no van tenir actituds violentes sinó que simplement van expressar les seves reivindicacions en forma de xiulada.

La proposta de sanció és del tot injusta i forma part novament de l’estratègia del govern de l’estat espanyol per retallar els drets i les llibertats dels ciutadans i dels pobles que legítimament aspiren a un futur polític diferent.

L’Assemblea, Òmnium i la Plataforma ProSeleccions ens posem al costat i a disposició de les dues aficions, dels dos clubs i de les entitats amenaçades per fer front comú en defensa de la llibertat d’expressió i d’opinió pública.

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Comunicat en anglès

The Spanish Government fines Barça and several Catalan social organizations more than a million euros for allowing freedom of expression

Last 30th May, during the Spanish King’s Cup Final between Barça and Athletic de Bilbao in Camp Nou, both teams’ supporters massively whistled the Spanish anthem and waved flags in favour of Catalan independence.

Now the Spanish Government has decided to punish and fine both clubs and several pro-Catalan independence small organizations because of inaction in front of this political revendication and appeals to the due respect and defense of “national symbols”. The overall fines exceed 1 million €.

The Platform Pro Catalan Teams (a platform which seeks the acceptance of Catalan teams in international competitions), Òmnium Cultural and the Catalan National Assembly strongly oppose the decision to punish and fine the whistling of the Spanish anthem. We consider it a decision against freedom of speech. Both clubs’ supporters were only peacefully expressing their own revendications and political opinions by means of whistling.

The attitude of the Spanish Government is an exercise of political repression and brings us the sour memories of Franco’s regime, which still survives in the minds and hearts of the political actions of some Spanish political leaders. Such curtailment is part of the Spanish government’s strategy to reduce the citizens’ rights, especially those who legitimately aim at a different political future, and finds no comparison in other democratic states.

We fully support both teams’ fans, their respective clubs and the civil society organizations that have been threatened, in order to respond together to this new attack.