So proud of this guy: I always wear my Biafra band or pin in continuing support of Biafra and the innocent Biafrans held in detention, I will also now get a yellow pin and support our friends of Catalonia! #ProudToSupportBiafra #Catalonia #Referendum
Pep Guardiola vowed to continue wearing a yellow ribbon in support of Catalan political prisoners no matter what after defying a Football Association charge by displaying it during Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win over Arsenal.
Guardiola was facing further punishment on Sunday for refusing for a third time to bow to the FA’s demand to remove a ribbon which symbolises support for those imprisoned during the ongoing push in the region for a referendum on independence from Spain.
The City manager, charged with breaching FA rules banning political symbols during games, delivered a passionate defence of a public show of solidarity that began in December and has seen his private plane searched twice by police looking for ousted independence leader Carles Puigdemont.
“Before a manager, I am a human being,” Guardiola said, comparing the situation in Catalonia to the recent referenda in the UK on leaving the European Union and Scottish independence.
“You did the Brexit, you let people have their opinion. You allowed Scotland to make a referendum about if you want to stay or not. And, after, the people vote.
“That is what they ask [in Catalonia] and they are in jail right now.”
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He added: “There are four guys in prison. There are other guys, who are outside from Catalonia. When they come back, they are going to be jailed, imprisoned for rebellion and sedition.
“They don’t have weapons. The weapons that we have is just the vote, the ballot.
“It’s not about politicians, it’s about democracy; it’s about helping the people who didn’t do absolutely anything.”
Guardiola is likely to be fined in the first instance for his defiance, something he said he would “accept”.
Asked whether he would continue to wear the ribbon if the FA threatened to ban him, he replied: “They know that I’ll wear the yellow ribbon always. I can wear it somewhere else, not just on my chest. They know I’ll wear it.”
Alluding to the fact he is allowed to wear the ribbon during Champions League matches, he added: “Uefa has another opinion regarding these issues. They say you can wear always anything as long as you show it with respect. Here, apparently, it’s different.”
