Denialist chirigota drowned out by shouts and boos at Cádiz Carnival

Cádiz Carnival turns against a chirigota that set out to spread hoaxes

The Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones del Carnaval de Cádiz (COAC), the official carnival groups competition, witnessed an unusual episode this Sunday at the Gran Teatro Falla. The chirigota 'Abre los ojos', billed as a vehicle for spreading denialist messages about climate change and vaccines, was met with a loud protest from the audience. Shouts, chants and boos prevented the group's songs, led by well-known online agitator Katy Balber, from being heard clearly throughout its performance.

From the first bars, the audience's murmur grew into an outcry of disapproval. Phrases such as 'Out of the Falla!' or 'Bring the curtain down!' rang out in the hall, making clear the rejection of the chirigota's proposal. Despite the audience's insistence, COAC rules prevented the performance from being interrupted, allowing 'Abre los ojos' to complete its repertoire, though inaudibly for most of those present.

The author and director, Catalina Katy Balber, described herself as a 'truth-teller' and said they were there to 'sing truths that people don't like to hear sung'. Balber, dressed as a 'perrodista', criticised the media and pointed to figures such as Bill Gates and Soros as responsible for 'forcing people to get those injections'. The chirigota included references to the 'flying bug' (pangolin) and to 'those affected by the inoculation'. After the performance, Balber accused the organisers and audience of a 'boycott' and an 'attack on freedom of expression', although she acknowledged that the group's vocal and performance quality was not up to standard, attributing the shortcomings to the departure of a 'Trojan horse' days before the contest.

The controversy generated by 'Abre los ojos' highlights the tension between freedom of expression and the spread of disinformation, especially on sensitive issues such as public health and the environment. The reaction of the Cádiz audience, largely opposed to the denialist messages, underlines the social sensitivity to this type of discourse.

The debate over freedom of expression versus disinformation

The controversy has gone beyond carnival, opening a debate on various platforms about the limits of freedom of expression and the role of disinformation. While some argue that any idea, however controversial, must be allowed to be expressed, others argue that the spread of hoaxes, especially those with potential for social harm, cannot be protected under that right.

'I don't know, you may like what they say more or less, but for me freedom of expression is sacred', said one participant in a forum. To which another replied: 'Yes, tell that to the people in the audience who have lost a relative to ELbichito. Freedom of expression? My arse: evil, sectarianism, 'I'm against the official line because of dogma' and disinformation'.

The artistic quality of the performance was also criticised. 'Artistically, they were bloody awful', commented one attendee, while others pointed to the group's lack of coordination and tuning. The chirigota was booed not only during its performance but also as it left the theatre.

Reactions and repercussions

The performance by 'Abre los ojos' generated strong polarisation. On one hand, those who defended freedom of expression, arguing that the appropriate response to 'barbarities' is 'education, intelligence and common sense rather than prohibition'. On the other, those who considered that the chirigota promoted 'evil, sectarianism and disinformation', and that its performance was 'garbage' and 'scum'.

Some comments pointed to the very nature of carnival as a space for social criticism, and questioned whether a denialist proposal had a place in it. 'Cádiz is leftie garbage made up of zain who claim to be Spanish', one user even said, in a comment that shows the virulence of the debate.

The chirigota's own director, Katy Balber, accused the organisers and the audience of a 'boycott' and an 'attack on freedom of expression', although she admitted that the group was not up to the vocal and performance standard of the competition. The situation, which included a guitarist leaving before the performance ended and an underage member crying, highlights the complex social and cultural dynamics surrounding the expression and reception of controversial messages at public events. The chirigota, despite the interruptions, was able to complete its repertoire, but the experience for its members, especially the youngest, was visibly negative.