The estelades return to Camp Nou

BarcelonaThere was no tribute ceremony at Camp Nou for the world champions with Spain prior to the match against Athletic Club. "It is neither the most appropriate context nor moment. Football should serve to unite and not to generate confrontations that do not benefit anyone," declared Joan Laporta on Wednesday, before confirming that Barça would change the congratulation to the mundialists for an "act of exaltation of the estelada, which represents the way of thinking of many culers and Catalans". And thousands of culers and Catalans responded by filling the stadium with estelades.

Following the assault on a minor Barça member in Elche by the National Police, the club took part in the matter, but so did several Catalanist and independentist entities. When the tribute to the world champions with the Spanish national team had not yet been canceled, the Assemblea Nacional Catalana had already announced that it would distribute ten thousand estelades outside Camp Nou. The entity had called on supporters to fill the stands of Camp Nou with estelades and the bulk of the fans did not fail.

From 7:30 p.m. onwards, various volunteers from the ANC could be seen distributing estelades in various spots around the stadium. A little later, as the surroundings of the blaugrana stronghold were already being painted with the colors of the estelada, the president of the ANC, Josep Vila, called for the stadium to be filled with estelades and condemned the aggression against a minor Barça member in Elche. "We are distributing estelades so that whoever wants one can display it," he explained. And the mixed crowd, from grandparents to grandchildren, gathered a lot of estelades, exchanging smiles with the ANC volunteers who, punctual and defying the heat, distributed them at three different points around the Camp Nou. Vila also celebrated Barça's decision to withdraw the tribute to the world champions and condemned Catalanophobia and xenophobia.

Nearly 200 people, also convened by the same ANC, Plataforma per la Selecció Catalana and Assemblea de Joves de Catalunya, marched from the Josep Munté gardens to access 15 of the stadium, on Arístides Mallol street. They ended up singing Els Segadors and displaying a large estelada and senyera. The march was led by a banner with the message: “This is not ours,” referring to the Spanish flag.

Once inside and shortly before the start of the match, as the Barça anthem was playing over the public address system, the ANC unfurled two large estelades in the second tier of the side stand, while hundreds and hundreds of smaller estelades filled the stands. At 17 minutes and 14 seconds, the Cant del Virolai and Els Segadors were sung a cappella by the fans. Camp Nou has spoken.

Barça will assume the defense of the minor attacked by the police in Elx

This evening. In the morning, this newspaper reported that the family of the minor partner assaulted by the National Police before the start of Elche-Barça has decided to accept the legal coverage offered by Barça. The defense of the case will be handled by criminal lawyer Marc Molins, as confirmed by ARA.

The affected person, who spent the night at the police station and suffered multiple injuries and bruises all over his body, faces a charge of assaulting an authority figure, which in his case (he is a minor) could lead to a few months of supervised release or community service. However, he has not yet been officially notified by the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office.

Amnesty International regrets "the excessive use of force" against a minor member of Barça

Also this Thursday, Amnesty International regretted the “excessive use of force” by the National Police against the minor for carrying an Estelada flag. In a statement, the human rights entity valued the internal investigation opened, but demands an external one that “determines responsibilities”.

Amnesty International recalls that “exhibiting an Estelada flag is freedom of expression” and that “hitting a person’s head when they have already been subdued is not justified in any case”. At the same time, it maintains that showing the Estelada flag “does not constitute an incitement to violence” or “ to hatred” and asks “to protect” the act of carrying and waving it. As was done at Camp Nou.