Recently, a far-right representative in the Parliament of Catalonia caused a stir with his statements. Following an incident at a football match where a xenophobic chant was heard, the deputy defended its spontaneity. Addressing an Esquerra Republicana deputy, he added that if she chose not to participate, «we are not going to deport her for that, at least for now», a statement that was widely criticized.
“"Tarradas has acknowledged that it was a mistake to personalize his words about deputy Najat Driouech and has publicly apologized in case his statements may have been offensive or violated the decorum of the Chamber."
This statement was so serious that his own party forced him to apologize. However, the apologies focused on the «personalization» of the words, and not on the xenophobic content of the speech. This episode underscores the need to combat the far-right with democratic methods, as both parties like Vox and Aliança Catalana share similar rhetoric.
The concern lies in how these parties are managing to impose their narrative, spreading fear among citizens. The concept of «national priority» is easily sold, and examples of this influence can be heard in daily life. A recent case in Tarragona illustrates how misinformation can take root, with a citizen expressing that a person of foreign origin had been attended to before her in emergencies, without understanding the triage system based on severity.
These incidents highlight the importance of combating lies and hate speech with truth and words, even when it seems a difficult task.
