Barcelona accused of ‘linguistic dictatorship’

After 27 years in the Barcelona municipal band, a musician from Sevilla faces losing his job for not knowing Catalan.

Jose Joaquin Sanchez, a Sevillian clarinetist, has been removed from the Barcelona Municipal Band after 27 years, due to his inability to meet the Catalan language requirements set by the Barcelona City Council.

This decision, on Friday, January 19 marks the end of a long career for the 53-year-old musician.

The controversy of language in employment

Sanchez’s dismissal revolves around his failure to demonstrate a C1 level in Catalan. Despite understanding the language ‘perfectly’ and achieving an A2 level in 2006, the council, under Colau’s leadership has demanded a higher language proficiency.

The requirement emerged in a merit contest demanded by the Generalitat. The situation reached a critical point in 2022 when Sanchez failed the mandatory Catalan test.

‘Musical language is universal,’ Sanchez stated, expressing his view on the disproportionate nature of this requirement.

He further criticised the insistent use of language as ‘a grotesque, an aberration’ and ‘a political weapon of discrimination.’

The clarinetist went on to say, ‘In Catalonia we are experiencing a linguistic dictatorship. Instead of seeking a friendly promotion of Catalan, they are using it as a tool of marginalisation ,”

He compared the issue to ‘a virus that is spreading to all layers of society: education, health, culture,’ Sanchez highlighted the growing concern in a country with Spanish as a common language.

Legal challenge and public reaction

Sanchez’s last resort lies in the judicial system. He is awaiting a verdict on his challenge against the merit contest’s rules, deeming the linguistic demands ‘exclusive and disproportionate.’

His lawyer, Angel Escolano, argues for the nullity of the dismissal, stressing that daily practice has shown language proficiency unnecessary for his role.

‘We allege that this is a null dismissal because it is motivated exclusively by language reasons,’ Escolano explained. The lawyer emphasized the lack of necessity for a C1 level of Catalan to play in the Municipal Band, calling it ‘clear discrimination.’