Barcelona Condemns Police Treatment of Fans Before Elche Match

Barcelona has condemned what it described as the disproportionate use of police force against club members and supporters before Sunday's La Liga match away to Elche. BBC Sport reported the complaint on Monday after the club issued a statement about incidents near the Martínez Valero stadium, where Barcelona later won 5-0.

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The club focused particularly on the arrest of one supporter. Barcelona said the procedure used to detain the fan was disproportionate and that the use of force lacked appropriate justification. It added that it had made itself available to the detained supporter and his family to provide any help they might need.

Barcelona also complained that police officers confiscated Estelada flags from some of its fans. The club described the Catalan pro-independence flag as a legal symbol and said displaying it is a legitimate expression of free speech that cannot, by itself, be treated as incitement to hatred or violence. Barcelona said it was awaiting explanations and reserved the right to take action to defend the rights and freedom of expression of its members and supporters.

RTVE, citing reporting from EFE, said video recorded by a supporter showed officers removing an Estelada from a young man before a confrontation developed. Its account said the supporter appeared to react toward the officers, who then restrained and arrested him, while other fans nearby became involved in the disturbance. The available reports do not establish every action before the recorded confrontation.

A government representative offered a different account of the immediate cause. Cadena SER reported that Alicante government subdelegate Manuel Pineda called the episode an isolated incident arising from a tense moment before the match. Pineda said the detained supporter had assaulted a police officer and that this led to the confrontation visible in video shared online. No finding resolving the competing descriptions was included in the reports reviewed.

The incident has also prompted political demands for scrutiny. Europa Press reported that Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya called for an investigation into the seizure of flags and the police operation, asking whether the response complied with proportionality and respect for fundamental rights. Barcelona's statement likewise sought official explanations while separating the dispute outside the stadium from the result on the field.