Lamine Yamal’s birthday party continues to cause a stir. Now the Spanish government is also getting involved.
According to the news agency EFE, the Office for Social Rights has asked the responsible public prosecutor’s office, the ombudsman in the Spanish Parliament for fundamental rights, and the Office for Combating Hate Crimes to examine whether the celebration violated applicable law. This was confirmed by the Director General for the Rights of People with Disabilities, Jesús Martín, in response to a request from the agency.
Lamine Yamal turned 18 on Sunday
According to Spanish media reports, Yamal hired little people for entertainment purposes for his 18th birthday. This is said to be proven by pictures and witness statements from the municipality of Olivella (south of Barcelona), where the party took place on Saturday.
Reports about little people at Yamal’s party
For understanding: A law passed in Spain in 2022 prohibits the employment of little people for entertainment purposes at parties – it is the legal and social ostracism of a discredited practice that used to be a kind of cultural tradition in the country.
The law does not yet provide for sanctions, but it is to be tightened on Tuesday. The public exposure of a person due to their disability would therefore be classified as a serious offense and would be punishable by fines of between 600,000 and one million euros.
So far, it is unclear whether and in what capacity little people were actually present at Yamal’s party.
Yamal celebration: “It is unacceptable”
Already on Monday, the ASDD, a Spanish member organization for little people, condemned the alleged events at the birthday party and announced legal action.
“It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, people with dwarfism are still used as entertainment at private parties – and it is even more serious when public figures such as Lamine Yamal are involved,” wrote the association president Carolina Puent in an official statement.
Yamal – under contract with FC Barcelona until 2031 – turned 19 on Sunday. The party took place on the night from Saturday to Sunday. Among the guests was Adam Aznou from FC Bayern, who is friends with Yamal.