Thousands of Catalan separatists protest on anniversary of failed independence referendum

Record ID: 1434530

  • Title: Thousands of Catalan separatists protest on anniversary of failed independence referendum
  • Date: 1st October 2019
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SEPARATIST PROTESTERS CARRYING PRO-INDEPENDENCE ESTELADA FLAGS AS THEY MARCH IN CENTRAL BARCELONA PROTESTERS CLAPPING AND CHANTING IN CATALAN "INDEPENDENCE-INDEPENDENCE" MARCH IN PROGRESS PROTESTERS HOLDING YELLOW BANNER WITH PICTURE OF A BALLOT BOX AND SLOGAN READING IN CATALAN, "WE DID IT AND WE WILL WIN" AS THEY CHANT IN CATALAN, "OCCUPATION FORCES, GET OUT" MARCH IN PROGRESS MAN HOLDING CUT OUT OF A YELLOW RIBBON SYMBOLISING SOLIDARITY WITH CATALAN JAILED LEADERS MARCH IN PROGRESS PROTESTERS HOLDING UP LETTERS SPELLING "FREEDOM" IN ENGLISH PROTESTERS CHANTING IN CATALAN, "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS" PROTESTERS HOLDING UP LETTERS SPELLING "PEACE" IN ENGLISH VARIOUS OF MARCH IN PROGRESS PROTESTERS SINGING
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2019 19:35
  • Keywords: Catalonia October 1st anniversary independence referendum separatist protests protest independence
  • Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AZ9MIIV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: LIVEU QUALITY
    Barcelona's urban police said about 18,000 separatist protesters took to the streets of Barcelona on Tuesday (October 1) evening to mark the second anniversary of Catalonia's illegal referendum which plunged Spain into its worst political crisis since its return to democracy.
    The banned referendum and the short-lived declaration of independence that followed led Madrid to respond by imposing direct rule on the region for months, sidelining regional authorities.
    Twelve Catalan leaders, including members of the regional government at the time and two grassroots activists, are currently held in prison over their role in the failed independence drive. Their sentences are expected within the next two weeks.
    At the march, protesters called for their release and chanted slogans against the Spanish government. "Occupation force, get out," they chanted brandishing pro-independence Estelada flags.
    The separatist movement's momentum has seemingly slowed in recent months as it finds itself divided over whether to take a hard line that could lead to another banned independence referendum, or more dialogue with Madrid.
    But tensions have flared in recent days ahead of the verdict of the jailed leaders.
    Spain's high court last week also jailed seven Catalan separatists with possessing explosives, with prosecutors saying they were planning violent action around the time of the verdict. The regional parliament responded to the arrests by adopting a resolution backing civil disobedience.
    On Tuesday protests were also held in other Catalan towns and cities, including Girona, the heart of the independence movement.
    (Production: Mariano Valladolid, Luis Felipe Fernandez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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