FC Barcelona: Catalan vote chaos sees fans banned from match
IT WAS a goal by the world’s greatest player. But it happened in an empty stadium in a hugely controversial move.
FANS were banned from watching two rival teams play off against each other after a controversial independence referendum spiralled into violence.
FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi scored twice during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Las Palmas, helping his team secure a 3-0 victory.
However his fans didn’t get to see it live and were forced to watch the football star take on his rivals on their TV screens.
The match was played behind closed doors after the Spanish league refused to postpone the game on the day of the highly-charged Catalonia referendum.
In a statement, FC Barcelona said fans were banned from the match after the national league refused to postpone it.
“FC Barcelona condemns the events which have taken place in many parts of Catalonia today in order to prevent its citizens exercising their democratic right to free expression,” it said.
“Given the exceptional nature of events, the Board of Directors have decided that the FC Barcelona first team game against Las Palmas will be played behind closed doors following the Professional Football League’s refusal to postpone the game.”
Barcelona called for the match to be postponed and the club has been vocal in its of the referendum.
Las Palmas, however, indicated it was against the idea the northeast region of Catalonia separating from Spain.
Barca’s players entered the field wearing a training top in the colours of the Catalan Senyera flag over their traditional blue and red home kit before changing into their usual uniforms.
Meanwhile, Las Palmas wore a small Spanish flag on their shirts as a show of support for a united Spain.
The reason for the empty stadium did not go unnoticed on social media with fans divided over whether it was the right decision.
Others questioned the motives and loyalties of the players.
If they really are 'Mas Que Un Club' Barcelona FC would refuse to play today out of solidarity with Catalan voters ...
— Andy Saunders (@mrasaunders) October 1, 2017
Barcelona FC is another corporation, it's there to make $$$, not about Catalon pride or independence. 15 of the 25 are foreigners.
— MAGA68 (@spider68) October 1, 2017
Bizarre watching #LaLiga and #BarcelonaFc are playing in an empty stadium. What's going on there?
— Dave (@deeman_77) October 1, 2017
They've pretty much been forced into playing by LFP and Las Palmas. Barcelona FC are not to blame for this game going ahead.
— Hoidy (@Hoidy) October 1, 2017
Barcelona star player Gerard Pique tweeted a photo of himself voting, and posted: “I have voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy.”
Ja he votat. Junts som imparables defensant la democrà cia. pic.twitter.com/mGXf7Qj1TM
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) October 1, 2017
VIOLENCE KICKS OFF
Huge queues of fans waited outside the 99,000 capacity Camp Nou for hours until a final decision was made less than 30 minutes before kick-off.
The disputed referendum descended into violence, with hundreds injured as Madrid declared the vote illegal.
More than five million eligible Catalan voters visited 2315 polling stations to cast their vote on whether they should gain independence from Spain.
The Spanish government in Madrid said the vote was undemocratic and the country’s Constitutional Court declared it unconstitutional.
Despite this, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont said Catalonia “has won the right to become an independent state.”
More than 800 people were injured as riot police attacked peaceful protesters and unarmed civilians who cast their ballots, the Associated Press reported.
Hundreds of police armed with truncheons and rubber bullets were sent in from other regions to confiscate ballots and stop the voting.
Footage showed some officers dragging people out of polling stations by the hair, throwing some down stairs, kicking them and pushing them to the ground.
“What the police are doing is simply savage,” said Jordi Turull, spokesman for the Catalan regional government, which backs independence.
“It’s an international scandal.” He said Spain has become “the shame of Europe” with its iron-fist tactics.
Police were acting on a judge’s orders to stop the referendum and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said going forward with the vote only served to sow divisions.
Catalans have been pushing for more autonomy, arguing that they contribute far more than they receive from the central government, which controls key areas including taxes and infrastructure.
Spain’s Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said even if the new country is created it wouldn’t matter.
“A hypothetical declaration of independence won’t lead to anything because no one would recognise it,” he said.
“They need to stop lying, come back to reason and accept that we will all find a place for Catalonia within Spain.”
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