Barcelona have appealed a ban on Estelada flags at Sunday’s Copa del Rey final against Sevilla, the fate of which will be discovered on Friday.
Barca immediately condemned the decision – made by the Government Delegation in Madrid – as an attack on free speech, and Marca reports the Catalans have taken legal action.
The appeal alleges an “infringement of the fundamental right of freedom of expression” and the “lack of foundation for the measure because it presupposes an offensive display of the estelada flags”.
A Madrid-based judge will now assess the validity of Barca’s arguments and make a final decision on Friday.
While use of the Senyera, a red-and-yellow-striped flag commonly seen at Camp Nou, is permitted, the Estelada is typically associated with Catalan independence.
