Unionists double-down on effort to remove pro-independence symbols from public spaces

Unionists in Catalonia are doubling-down on their efforts to remove pro-independence flags and symbols in support of jailed leaders from public spaces, both at the legislative and levels, and also by taking them out themselves.

Albert Rivera, the leader of Ciutadans, the main opposition party to the pro-independence government, took on the Spanish president on Monday and said  that “if [Pedro] Sánchez’s government doesn’t want to clean illegal separatist propaganda off public spaces in Catalonia, we’ll do it.”

Rivera shared a video of citizens removing yellow ribbons in Masnou, a seaside town in Catalonia, led by a local councilor, Frans Avilés. He says: “Neutrality is a democratic need that must be respected and guaranteed.”

Si el Gobierno de Sánchez no quiere limpiar de propaganda separatista ilegal los espacios públicos en Cataluña, lo haremos nosotros. Las calles, las plazas, las playas y las instituciones #SonDeTodos. pic.twitter.com/wBpUZ2k3Fe

— Albert Rivera (@Albert_Rivera) July 31, 2018

Avilés justifies the removal of the ribbons—a symbol of support for pro-independence leaders in prison and abroad—by referring to a recent decision by Spain’s High Court in Catalonia (TSJC), ruling against the city council of Sant Cugat del Vallès for hanging an independence flag (called an ‘estelada’) in a public square.

According to the court, partisan symbols violate the principle of institutional neutrality and are therefore illegal. The flag was deemed as “obviously partisan", representing only a fraction of citizens, and not recognized as the official symbol of any administration.

Societat Civil Catalana, the unionist grassroots organization that launched the lawsuit against Sant Cugat, has also joined the call against pro-independence symbols: “Justice has admitted that we’re right. If you want to denounce [pro-independence symbols] in your town, download this form and send it to your city council.”