PP looks to criminalise anti-royal boos following jeers at Copa del Rey

FOLLOWING the loud boos and jeers that came from the stands of Barcelona’s Nou Camp, when Barca met Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s office issued a statement condemning “attacks against symbols that represent all Spaniards,” saying that “intolerance is always reprehensible” and adding it should not be allowed to “jeopardise our coexistence.”
King Felipe VI was in attendance and the government have reacted angrily to the jeers that he had to endure, as the winners were announced.
The ruling conservative Popular Party has announced that they aim to put a plan into place, whereby these actions could be deemed punishable.
PP spokesman, Carlos Floriano, said Saturday’s jeering was “an event that offends us,” an “insult” and a “horror.”
But Catalan regional premier Artur Mas, said: “I have been at other King’s Cup finals, for instance the one that these same two teams played in Valencia, and there was also jeering. If the Spanish government insists on issuing threats and being ridiculous, the only thing it will achieve is for people to feel like booing even more.”
Floriano said his party was looking at legislation in countries where attacking national symbols is considered a crime. The PP disagrees with a High Court ruling that found that similar booing at the 2009 King’s Cup final was acceptable in a country with freedom of expression.
“That type of demonstration has no place in a country ruled by freedom of expression,” he said.