- Title: Thousands demonstrate against sentence of Catalan separatist leaders
- Date: 14th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS STAGING PROTEST AND BLOCKING BOULEVARD VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WRITING WITH CHALK ON GROUND IN CATALAN: "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTERS JUMPING AND CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER, MARCAR ROOS, 25, SAYING: "I'm here because I think the trial has been a complete fraud, it has been a trial that human rights international organisations have denounced as having a lot of irregularities. I think we have to denounce it and do something about it. I believe in the self-determination of the people in Catalonia and that's why I'm protesting here." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER AND STUDENT, ROGER GRAVERT, 19, SAYING: "I'm here because I consider imprisonment is totally unfair. Spain is a repressive country and I think that just by demonstrating and taking to the streets we will achieve things." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER AND ECONOMY STUDENT, JULIA, 20, SAYING: "I think what is happening is shameful. I think the conviction in really unfair and I don't understand how this can happen in the 21st century." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED WOMAN CLIMBING ON MAN'S SHOULDERS, REACHING TOP AND PULLING OUT A YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF PROTESTERS LIFTING ARMS AND CHANTING IN CATALAN: "STREETS WILL ALWAYS BE OURS" POLICE HELICOPTER FLYING OVER PROTEST PROTESTERS GATHERED WOMAN DRAPED IN CATALAN PRO-INDEPENDENCE 'ESTELADA' FLAG PROTEST IN PROGRESS MAN CARRYING BALLOT BOX USED DURING OCTOBER 1ST BANNED REFERENDUM, CHANTING IN CATALAN: "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS" PROTESTERS MARCHING HOLDING BANNERS IN SUPPORT OF CONVICTED LEADERS PROTESTERS MARCHING, HOLDING CATALAN PRO-INDEPENDENCE 'ESTELADA' FLAG MAN BLOWING WHISTLE
- Embargoed: 28th October 2019 12:45
- Keywords: Catalonia independence Spain's Supreme court veredict jailed catalan separatist leaders demonstration
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA001B12IS07
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona on Monday (October 14) after Spain's Supreme Court on Monday (October 14) sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition over their role in a failed independence bid in 2017.
Three other defendants, who were also on trial for their involvement in the October 2017 referendum held in spite of a ban and a short-lived independence declaration, were found guilty only of disobedience and not sentenced to prison.
In Barcelona, three main streets were blocked by protesters holding signs calling for "Freedom for political prisoners" as they said the sentence was "completely unfair."
Protesters blocked train and metro access to the Barcelona airport and others temporarily halted traffic on the A2 highway, as well as on several regional roads across Catalonia, officials at the road traffic agency said.
All defendants were acquitted of the gravest charge, rebellion, but leading separatists were quick to condemn the court's decision and the jailed men sent out messages of defiance, urging people to take to the streets.
(Production: Miguel Pereira, Lorena Cabral, Jordi Rubio, May Ponzo, Miguel Gutierrez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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