Yzabelle Bostyn
SPANISH YouTubers claim they were ‘threatened with a huge fine’ in Gibraltar after attempting to unfurl their country’s flag.
As Britain and Spain try to find common ground amid tense Brexit talks, young Spaniards are further stoking tension by trying to ‘conquer’ the British territory on social media.
Known as FrikBoys, Erra and Juan claimed they were told they would be chucked out of Gibraltar for trying to unfurl Spanish flags, shouting ‘Viva España’ and wearing Spanish football shirts on the Upper Rock.
The Olive Press has contacted the Gibraltar Government for comment.
In total, the lads claimed they were threatened with over €8,000 in fines for their antics, which included mimicking monkeys and throwing mini Spanish flags at them.
In footage shared online, an alleged representative for the nature reserve can be seen telling them: “Please get out of here or we’re going to have problems.”
“What problems?” asked one of the YouTubers.
“Up to a £4,000 fine,” the man responded, “I’ve called the police, they’ll fine you and you could go to prison.”
“The tension is really high here,” the YouTuber said.
Then the pair proceeded to poke the monkeys, throwing a bag of flags and food at them.
“I warned you,” a worker says when he spots them, “the police are waiting for you at the bottom.”
They say they had to ‘run away’ in the final scene of the video and the title ‘We conquered Gibraltar and they threw us out’ suggests they were officially asked to leave.
An Royal Gibraltar Police spokesperson told the Olive Press: “It is not an offence to fly a Spanish flag atop the Rock, nor is there any fine for doing so.
“On this occasion, the RGP had no contact with the two boys and they were not expelled from Gibraltar.
“However, provocative actions that leads to trouble among members of the public would be viewed differently by the RGP.”
In the FrikBoys’ video, the presence of the Spanish flag does seem to cause some commotion, with one passerby warning: “Don’t show that flag around here you’ll get into trouble.”
“Do you want one?” the boys asked. “If you give me one I’ll burn it right in front of you,” he quipped back.
The pair also approached a group of young people who said their actions were ‘not funny’.
