Barcelona supporters threaten boycott as fan group brands La Liga giants ‘hypocrites’
Barcelona have sparked anger from supporters after issuing safety recommendations ahead of their Supercopa de Espana clash with Osasuna in Saudi Arabia on Thursday
Barcelona supporters group Penya Almogàvers have threatened to boycott the Supercopa de Espana as the Catalan club became embroiled in a row over LGBT+ rights.
The competition will once again be played in Saudi Arabia, with Barca’s semi-final against Osasuna taking place on Thursday night. Saudi is one of the most dangerous places in the world for LGBT+ people to live, with same-sex relationships illegal and punishable by the death penalty.
Ahead of the clash at Al Awal Park in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Barcelona have issued a set of safety recommendations to their fans. They were drawn up by the club and the Spanish FA, under the instruction of the Spanish Embassy in Riyadh.
One of the recommendations concerns the LGBT+ community, with Barca issuing a stern warning. It reads: “People are advised to be respectful and prudent when it comes to public demonstrations of affection.
“Indecent behaviour, including any action of a sexual nature, can lead to severe legal consequence for foreigners. Same-sex relations can also be subjected to severe penalties, as well as open displays of support for LGBTI causes, even on social media.”
That message sparked a furious response from Penya Almogàvers though. The supporters group issued a message on Twitter alongside a screenshot of that guidance and a story from the club’s website supporting a new human rights initiative.
They demanded an end to Barca’s hypocrisy and revealed that they would be boycotting the Supercopa while it is played in Saudi Arabia. The message read: “Enough hypocrisy from @FCBarcelona_cat!
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