President on yellow ribbon ban: 'We won't give up freedom of speech'

The Catalan president said his administration will keep yellow ribbons in public buildings despite an order by the electoral authority to do so, arguing it is within "freedom of speech."

"We won't give up freedom of speech," he stated on Thursday morning. "We don't want to live in fear and we will not live in fear, rights, and freedoms have been at stake in this country, since several years ago."

According to him, the electoral authority's decision is "a new attempt by Spain to eliminate and violate one of [Catalonia's] fundamental rights."

Torra also urged parties like Ciutadans, who had made a complaint regards the yellow ribbons to the electoral authority (prompting the ruling), to stop "spending their life" filing lawsuits and called on them to "do politics" instead.

 

Barcelona mayor complies with electoral authority

Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, removed the same signing hanging from the balcony outside the Catalan capital’s town hall after the electoral authority ruled it to be taken out within 12 hours on Thursday afternoon.

Ciutadans calls for police to remove ribbons

Torra challenged the electoral authority decision and urged the public body to reconsider its order.

Meanwhile, on Thursday morning, Ciutadans called also on the electoral authority to send the Catalan police to remove the ribbons from public buildings.

The unionist political force also asked for the "breach" to be taken to the public prosecutor, due to the possibility of Torra's decision carrying "criminal responsibilities."

Spanish government: "If ruling is not fulfilled, law should be applied"

The Spanish finance minister, María Jesús Montero, also reacted to Quim Torra's stance.

She said that if the ruling by the electoral authority is not complied with, "the full force of the law should be applied" to Torra.

According to her, the "sanctions system" should be enforced in this case.