Electoral Board bans use of yellow lighting on Barcelona fountains and public buildings

The PP announces that its appeal was allowed because the lights "carry political connotations"

P.e.
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La font de Gran Via amb Passeig de Gràcia, il·luminada de color groc aquesta setmana

BarcelonaThe Provincial Electoral Board has agreed to allow an appeal by the PP and has prohibited the Barcelona City Council from lighting up fountains and public buildings in yellow during the election campaign and on election day. The city was doing so using the Christmas lighting campaign, as a protest over the political prisoners and to demand their release. The PP announced in a press conference that the Electoral Board had endorsed its petition because the lights "carry political connotations and don't respect neutrality".

The decision to light fountains and public buildings in yellow was taken with the support of BComú, PDECat, and ERC. The PP argued that this action represented one of the political options that is running in the December 21st elections, while the Council said that it had no partisan interest, only that it wanted to show its solidarity with the families of the Government members and grassroots organizations who are being held in prison. It claimed that the demonstrations in favor of freeing the political prisoners are simply examples of free speech.

The Provincial Electoral Board of Barcelona cited Article 50.2 of the LOREG (Spain’s Polling Act), noting that public entities cannot use images or expressions that are "coincident or similar to those used in the campaigns by any party running in the elections". The City Council will have 24 hours to appeal the order of the Electoral Board, a decision that it has not yet made, according to municipal sources.

Alberto Fernández Díaz, leader of the PP in Barcelona, made the Electoral Board's ruling public shortly after the party received it, and called on the Council to "immediately obey it". Fernández Díaz stressed that the Electoral Board felt that the yellow lighting on fountains and public buildings "is neither a show of solidarity nor of respect for free speech". The Board also ruled that this action violates the Barcelona City Council's obligation of neutrality as a public institution.

Lighting comparable to the yellow ribbon

The ruling of the Barcelona Electoral Board indicates that the lights show "support for a specific political proposal". In addition, it notes that the Central Electoral Board has prohibited anyone manning a polling station from wearing the yellow ribbon, as it considers them "partisan symbols". To this body, the yellow lights are comparable to the yellow ribbons, "as both symbolize the request for freedom for those who a certain part of the public has dubbed political prisoners".

"Once again, Colau had put the City at the service of independence, infringing on the obligatory political neutrality of a public institution", said Fernández Díaz, who insisted that the decision taken by some groups was not shared by all municipal forces. "Colau is not only disrespecting all Catalans who feel Spanish in Barcelona, but is also violating electoral regulations", added the leader of the PP in Barcelona city.

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