Francesc-Marc Álvaro, a deputy for the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), displayed an Estelada – the Catalan independence flag – during a session of the Interior Commission in Congress on Thursday, 28 August 2026, to protest alleged police violence against a minor in Elche.
The incident occurred ahead of the La Liga match between Elche and FC Barcelona, when national police officers reportedly assaulted a young Catalan fan for carrying the Estelada. According to reports, the minor received multiple baton blows and was subdued on the ground before being held overnight in custody. The young man has since been released.
Álvaro, wearing a tie with Barcelona colours, questioned Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska about the treatment of the fan. "Do you think this flag is a weapon of mass destruction or a prohibited item that must be seized?" he asked. He demanded an explanation from the Ministry of the Interior, stating that such actions are incompatible with a democratic state.
The Spanish government has not issued a direct response to the incident. However, the Ministry of the Interior has confirmed it has opened an internal investigation into possible disproportionate use of force by officers during the Elche-Barcelona match. This probe was initiated following a request from the Spanish government’s delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé.
Meanwhile, the Catalan government’s spokesperson, Sílvia Paneque, said authorities in the Valencian Community had informed them there were no official instructions to confiscate Esteladas. She added that if individual officers acted independently, it should be investigated. The Estelada is not among the symbols banned under sports regulations, as it does not incite direct hatred.
Political backlash grows
Junts leader Miriam Nogueras called for full transparency and demanded disciplinary action, labelling the officers involved as "animals" who must "pay" for what she described as abuse and mistreatment. Party president Carles Puigdemont accused the police of "suppurating hatred towards Catalan identity in a structural way".
Òmnium Cultural said the incident reflects broader democratic shortcomings, noting that the confiscation of Esteladas and disproportionate police responses are not isolated events. The organisation cited previous cases, including the removal of a fan from a Joventut de Badalona basketball game in Valencia in June 2026 for wearing the flag.
ERC has formally requested that the Minister of the Interior appear in Congress to clarify whether police actions adhered to principles of proportionality and respect for fundamental rights, particularly freedom of expression.
"Freedom of expression must always be guaranteed, regardless of where Barça plays or the sporting context,"
said ERC in an official statement, which called for an immediate investigation into the police operation.
Ministerial absence sparks debate
Grande-Marlaska did not attend the Interior Commission session, despite being summoned to report on police actions during the Elche-Barcelona match. His absence follows a pattern of non-attendance at parliamentary sessions related to the Ceuta migration crisis, drawing criticism from opposition parties including PP and Vox, who have denounced his lack of accountability.
The national police force’s conduct remains under scrutiny, with multiple organisations and political groups demanding clarity on who authorises the removal of Esteladas and whether such orders comply with legal and democratic standards.
Primary sources: interior.gob.es. Reported by Roger Hernandez Pujol, R. P, democrata.es, Por Newsroom Infobae Seguir, Carlos Latorre, Gonzalo Pellicer Terol, Óscar López-Fonseca, Camilo S. Baquero, Roger Palós, Diario de Alicante, Sam Marsden, Juan José Fernández, Carmen Campos, Àlex Cabrera, Diari ARA.
