Racism is widespread. It will take the form of explicit xenophobia or emerge in daily microaggressions, but no society escapes it. Of course, neither does Catalan society, which thinks and lives in Catalan.But the racism in the stands during the Spain-Egypt match is theirs. In Catalonia we know it well. It is the product of Spanish nationalism, of a language and a religion ("Speak in Spanish!
"), a flag ("What does your ID say?") and an far-right ideology. We only need to review Tuesday's full display: shouts against Puigdemont, against Sánchez and against Muslims. A political culture steeped in centuries of counter-reformation, of "Let them invent it!
" and "One, great and free" does not disappear because a Constitution said so 47 years ago. The proof was the lack of reaction from the Spanish Federation when activating anti-racism protocols. They must have thought it wasn't that serious, or that it would pass. Of course, it is the same Federation that had a president who grabbed his crotch in the stands to celebrate Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup.To wonder how 20,000 people could spontaneously sing "Muslims who don't jump!" is not only to ignore the disinhibition and imitation that works in football stadiums, but also to not understand what Spanish nationalism is made of, distributed among all parties but which mainly votes for Vox.Finally, it is no coincidence that the coven took place in Catalonia, where the Spanish national team matches are intended to be a banal reminder of assimilation and a celebration of normalization, especially after October 1st. The Spanish crowd in Catalonia attends more than just a match and the organizers know it. That's why they hold them. This time it went so badly that the world is asking if a World Cup can be organized with these riff-raff. And with Morocco.
