Yes to yellow ribbons but careful of environment, says Barcelona mayor

While coming out in support of hanging yellow ribbons, in an interview with Catalan RAC1 radio on Friday she called on the public to show "common sense" regardless of legality and said that the public spaces should not be "massively occupied" by such signs everywhere.

The reason for caution, said Colau, is the environment. She claimed that most of the ribbons are made of plastic, and therefore their presence has an impact on the environment.

While she greenlighted the displays, she also said that removing them is not quite the same, arguing that taking out symbols that represent others "is not good." What’s more, doing so shows "an attitude of aggression," Colau said.

Colau also added that the image of unionist Ciutadans leaders removing ribbons earlier this week is an "absolute irresponsibility."

Officials Albert Rivera and Inés Arrimadas were filmed untying ribbons from a handrail in Alella, north of Barcelona, on Wednesday.

"War signs lead us nowhere," she claimed while saying that solving the underlying political conflict between Catalonia and Spain should be prioritized instead of such battles.

Yet the alternative left-wing mayor of Barcelona was not the only one criticizing Ciutadans leaders. On the other side of the ideological scale, the People's Party called on Ciutadans to be "part of the solution."

"The photo is very nice, but if the message is 'everyone should do the same as me' this can lead to confrontation," said spokesman Javier Maroto. "People vote for [politicians] to solve their issues by making laws and taking political decisions, not for you to behave like just another citizen."