Barcelona demands expulsion of football team using Francoist symbols

The Barcelona City Council has demanded the expulsion of an amateur football team, Mingorrubio Balompié, from competitions held at the Velòdrom d'Horta. The request follows allegations that the team is violating the Democratic Memory Law by displaying Francoist symbolism.

According to Sports Councilor David Escudé, the city cannot allow municipal sports facilities to be used to normalize or provide coverage for expressions linked to the dictatorship. The team’s name refers to the cemetery where Francisco Franco is buried, and its previous shield included the name ‘F. C. Bayern de los Caídos’ and an anagram of Franco’s name.

The team reportedly includes members of the political party Vox, specifically provincial vice-president Juan Cremades and district councilor Carles Oliva. The matter was brought to the attention of the Prosecutor's Office by a legal group after other teams and citizens protested the use of such imagery in public spaces.