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Restaurant Owner Fights Back Against "Catalanophobia" Claims and Online Abuse

Abraham Galera Cano, a prominent TikToker and owner of a restaurant in Tordera, has issued a video statement to clarify a recent controversy that led to accusations of "Catalanophobia" and a wave of online harassment. The dispute originated from a previous video where Galera simulated a scenario in a restaurant where a menu was only available in Spanish, and the waiter, while understanding Catalan, did not speak it. This portrayal was widely misinterpreted, leading to significant backlash. In his latest video, Galera unequivocally states, "I am Catalan, I love my language, and I love my land." He emphasized his Catalan upbringing and his commitment to the language, even maintaining a separate Instagram account dedicated to Catalan content. He explained that his original video was intended to spark a debate about common, sometimes awkward, situations in establishments regarding language, not to disparage Catalan. The controversy escalated when a Twitter user reportedly used a previous video of Galera expressing grief over his deceased father to mock him. Galera condemned this act, stating, "You think I monetize content about my father's death?" He also highlighted a coordinated effort to tarnish his restaurant's reputation, showing a screenshot of over 130 one-star Google reviews, many falsely claiming he refused to serve in Catalan. Galera invited his critics to visit his restaurant, assuring them that he readily accommodates Catalan-speaking customers and that modern technology allows for seamless menu translation, rendering language barriers obsolete.