“It’s my free opinion,” says German Barça fan, denied access because of independence flag

Barcelona (ACN)-. “There is no football for you today,” said the Spanish policeman to Daniel Kahl, a German Barça fan, after denying him access to the Copa del Rey final at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid. In an interview with the CNA, Kahl said that he thinks the reason for this “incomprehensible” reaction of the State forces was that he, as a foreigner, was carrying the Catalan independence flag, the so-called ‘Estelada’. Kahl also confirms that this is the first time this ever happened to him after traveling with the Estelada to football games “all over Europe”. “It’s my right to free expression of opinion,” the German football fan argued. Regarding the independence referendum in Catalonia, Kahl took also a clear stand. “I am from Germany, I know what democracy is. The best way to solve this conflict is by letting people vote,” he said.

Daniel Kahl is a German Barça fan, who spare no efforts to follow his favorite team to wherever it plays. “I fell in love with Barça when I was a kid. I saw Barça play on television and these red and yellow colors just got stuck in my mind,” Kahl explained in an interview with the CNA. Kahl became so much of a fan, that four years ago he even exchanged his hometown Berlin for Sant Boi de Llobregat, a town near Barcelona, “to be closer” to his favorite football team.

Besides German and English, Kahl speaks fluent Catalan. “I wanted to be prepared before moving,” Kahl said. Therefore, he decided to read a lot about Barça. “That’s when I realized that there is a local language and what Barça means for Catalans.” He also spoke with friends from Catalonia on several trips he had made to Barcelona during the last years, because he was interested “in the political situation”.

Kahl is a member of the FC Barcelona Fan club since 2001 and tries to see his favorite team play as often as possible. That’s why he didn’t mind the eight hour drive from Barcelona to Madrid to join the Copa del Rey final on 27 May. The championship final was contested between FC Barcelona and the Deportivo Alavés at the Vicente Calderon stadium in the Spanish capital.

According to Kahl, after arriving at the stadium entrance, Spanish police officers stopped him to “triple check” his small backpack. Besides the backpack, Kahl carried the ‘Estelada’, the Catalan independence flag, across his shoulders. The real problem for Kahl started though when he called out in German to his two compatriots, who had already entered the stadium, to wait for him. “The face of the policemen changed completely. Suddenly the whole atmosphere became really tense,” Kahl explained. More policemen came and he felt “fear”. “I didn’t want any problems, I’m not aggressive. I just wanted to go and see the football game,” Kahl assured.