Albert Rivera defies ban to screen La Roja in Barcelona
Albert Rivera, the leader of Ciudadanos has ensured Spanish football fans can watch their team play tonight, even though public screening of the match has been banned in the Catalan capital.
He will hold a party rally in front of Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf where a huge screen and sound system will be erected for campaigning purposes.
The screens will then broadcast the game against Turkey, which kicks off tonight at 9pm.
Ada Colau, the radical leftist Barcelona mayor sparked controversy when she announced that giant public screens would not be installed in city squares until the quarter finals of the competition.
The decision provoked outrage from many football supporters and accusations that it was a politically motivated decision from the independence supporting mayor.
Many separatist minded Catalans refuse to back Spain’s national team, even though it contains Catalan players.
Two women fans of the national team were recently attacked in Barcelona and called "Spanish whores".
Gerard Piqué, Barça star who also plays for La Roja, has been insulted by fans of the national side over his support for Catalan separatism.
Rivera is Catalan but is against any moves by the northeastern region to breakaway from Spain.
A recent survey revealed Catalonians are getting weary of political infighting over the region's independence drive which has dragged on for years - even those who back secession.
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He will hold a party rally in front of Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf where a huge screen and sound system will be erected for campaigning purposes.
The screens will then broadcast the game against Turkey, which kicks off tonight at 9pm.
Ada Colau, the radical leftist Barcelona mayor sparked controversy when she announced that giant public screens would not be installed in city squares until the quarter finals of the competition.
The decision provoked outrage from many football supporters and accusations that it was a politically motivated decision from the independence supporting mayor.
Many separatist minded Catalans refuse to back Spain’s national team, even though it contains Catalan players.
Two women fans of the national team were recently attacked in Barcelona and called "Spanish whores".
Gerard Piqué, Barça star who also plays for La Roja, has been insulted by fans of the national side over his support for Catalan separatism.
Rivera is Catalan but is against any moves by the northeastern region to breakaway from Spain.
A recent survey revealed Catalonians are getting weary of political infighting over the region's independence drive which has dragged on for years - even those who back secession.
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