Spain's Central Electoral Commission has called for all yellow ribbons and estelada "starred" pro-independence flags to be removed from Catalan government buildings, arguing they are "partisan symbols". The order was released in a document published after its meeting this Wednesday.
Catalan president Quim Torra is ordered to "immediately adopt all the necessary measures" to remove these symbols, as well as banners or signs including "images or expressions" that could be political. He is also urged to "exercise constant vigilance so that none of these partisan symbols are put back up during the electoral period".
The Commission says that the arguments presented by president Torra to oppose the order are the same as those he presented earlier this year, during a similar case in the run-up to the April general election. As such, the report says, the Commission has reached the same conclusions. According to their conclusions, the situation is one of a "repetition of the lack of compliance by the public powers with their obligation of neutrality [during election campaigns] which already occurred in the previous election process".
The deadline for Catalonia to comply with the new order is 3pm this Friday, 4th October. The Commission warns that a failure to do so could lead to criminal responsibility.