The spokesperson for Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) in the Spanish Congress, Gabriel Rufián, has publicly praised Barcelona and Spain international footballer Lamine Yamal after he waved a Palestinian flag during the club’s La Liga title celebration parade.
Lamine Yamal was one of the most active players during the parade through the streets of Barcelona. He created one of the most talked-about moments of the day when he picked up a Palestinian flag thrown by supporters and held it aloft for several minutes on the team bus, celebrating the title alongside his teammates. The scene quickly went viral on social media, drawing numerous reactions, including a message from Gabriel Rufián defending the gesture.
“Lamine Yamal has 42 million followers on Instagram and an enormous influence on even more millions of people around the world. People who today may have gone from indifference to denouncing the genocide in Gaza just because he waved a Palestinian flag. Whether you like it or not. Let’s celebrate it. Good for him,” the Catalan politician wrote on his X account.
Political and symbolic displays were also seen at other points during the celebration. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski was spotted waving an estelada (Catalan independence flag) during the parade, alongside numerous Barça flags and pro-independence and Palestinian banners among the fans gathered on the streets of Barcelona.