Protesters stage sit-in at Barcelona train station to support jailed Catalan separatist leaders

Record ID: 1436506

  • Title: Protesters stage sit-in at Barcelona train station to support jailed Catalan separatist leaders
  • Date: 13th October 2019
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 13, 2019) (REUTERS) CATALONIA PRO-INDEPENDENCE PROTESTERS STAGING SIT-IN INSIDE BARCELONA'S SANTS TRAIN STATION AND CHANTING (Catalan): "FREEDOM FOR THE POLITICAL PRISONERS" POLICE OFFICERS FORMING LINE AROUND PROTESTERS PROTESTERS SEATED, CHANTING AND HOLDING SIGN READING (Catalan): "FOR A COUNTRY WITH BETTER INFRASTRUCTURES, INDEPENDENCE" PROTESTS IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS REMOVING PROTESTERS FROM TRAIN STATION, WHILE OTHER PROTESTERS CONTINUE TO CHANT SLOGAN (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) 55-YEAR-OLD CATALAN PRO-INDEPENDENCE PROTESTER, EVA LOPEZ, SAYING: "I don't know the response by Catalan politicians, but our response (to the verdict by Spain's Supreme court on the trial of the separatist Catalan leaders) is going to be a quite one, a calm and long protest until we get what we want." (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) 56-YEAR-OLD CATALAN PRO-INDEPENDENCE PROTESTER, ANGEL COMAS, SAYING: "This is a non-violent action, one of many more that are yet to come. This is to defeat the system, to change it and become a new country." PROTESTERS CLAPPING AND CHANTING AS THEY LEAVE THE TRAIN STATION POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF PROTESTERS CLAPPING AND CHANTING POLICE OFFICERS STANDING IN LINE TO BLOCK THE ENTRANCE TO THE TRAIN STATION POLICE VANS OUTSIDE TRAIN STATION
  • Embargoed: 27th October 2019 11:19
  • Keywords: Catalonia independence police independence referendum trial Catalan leaders
  • Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B0XIBLZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pro-independence supporters staged a sit-in at Barcelona's Sants train station on Sunday (October 13) in support of the jailed Catalan separatists leaders.
    The protesters sat on the floor inside the train station lobby, sang the Catalan regional anthem and chanted: "We are peaceful people."
    Riot police formed a line around the protesters and removed some of them from the station.
    The protesters later left the station and walked down to plaza Espana square, where they momentarily blocked the traffic.
    Barcelona is getting ready for the verdict by the Spain's Supreme Court on the trial of the Catalan separatist leaders.
    The charges stem from the leaders' role in an October 2017 referendum, which was held despite being ruled illegal by Spanish courts, and a short-lived declaration of independence that followed in Spain's most economically important region.
    Nine of the 12 Catalan politicians and civic leaders have been in pre-trial detention for close to two years.
    The verdict is expected to be signed by the judges and made public next week, most likely on Monday (October 14), a judicial source told Reuters.
    (Production: Jordi Rubio, Luis Felipe Fernandez, Silvio Castellanos)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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