Context
The Borriana library, located in the Valencian Country, has been surrounded by controversy related to censorship and cultural diversity. This situation has generated a confrontation between the municipal government, formed by the Popular Party and Vox, and other political forces such as Compromís.
The controversy
Last year, the far-right alderman, Jesús Albiol, started a campaign against the Catalan magazines that were in the library. In addition, he tried to withdraw books on sex education, considering them pornographic. These actions generated great controversy and were denounced by Compromís, which accused the council of censorship.
Recently, Compromís has reported that the censorship has spread to other areas, such as the refusal to incorporate Barbie films and 20,000 species of bees into the municipal catalogue. According to this political formation, this decision could be motivated by the theme of these works, since Barbie promotes female empowerment and the film about bees deals with the reality of the LGBTI and trans community.
Compromís has expressed its indignation at this situation and has announced that it will take the case to the European institutions to denounce this new form of censorship.
The council’s response
In response to the accusations of Compromís, the Councilor for Culture has announced that a disciplinary file will be opened against the official who leaked the information about the decision not to acquire these two films. He also stated that the Department of Culture has the power to select the materials for the municipal library and that not all files must be signed.
The councilor criticized Compromís for using this situation to gain publicity and stated that an official should not be carried away by his political ideology. He emphasized that a disciplinary file will be requested for the official who has breached confidentiality by revealing secrets.
conclusion
The controversy surrounding the Borriana library highlights the existing tension between the municipal government and other political forces in relation to censorship and cultural diversity. This situation has generated a debate about the limits of freedom of expression and the importance of preserving diversity in public spaces such as libraries.