Stand-off between far-right supporters of Spanish unity and anti-fascists in Catalonia

Record ID: 1437176

  • Title: Stand-off between far-right supporters of Spanish unity and anti-fascists in Catalonia
  • Date: 17th October 2019
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) RIOT POLICE IN FRONT OF PRO-UNION DEMONSTRATORS WITH SPANISH FLAGS VARIOUS OF FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS DOING FASCIST SALUTE IN FRONT OF RIOT POLICE FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS SINGING "I'M SPANISH, SPANISH, SPANISH" WITH SPANISH WRAPPED AROUND THEIR BODIES FAR-RIGHT DEMONSTRATORS AT THE PROTEST FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF RIOT POLICE RIOT POLICE TELLING PROTESTERS TO MOVE BACKWARDS FAR-RIGHT DEMONSTRATORS TAUNTING POLICE RIOT POLICE LINE ANTI-FASCIST PROTESTERS WITH A BIG SIGN READING (in Catalan) "FASCISTS GET OUT OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS" SIGN READING (in Catalan) "FASCISTS GET OUT OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS", "THEY WON'T PASS" JOURNALISTS NEXT TO RIOT POLICE AND BETWEEN ANTI-FASCISTS AND FAR-RIGHT DEMONSTRATORS PRO-UNION DEMONSTRATORS WITH SIGNS READING (in English) "RESPECT", "DEMOCRACY", "OUT OF BARCELONA MY HOME, CATALONIA, SPAIN, TOTALITARIANISM" AND SPANISH FLAGS SIGN READING (in English) "THE TRUTH: MOST CATALANS LOVE SPAIN!" PRO-UNION DEMONSTRATORS WITH SIGNS READING (in English) "THE TRUTH: MOST CATALANS LOVE SPAIN!" AND "DEMOCRACY", WOMAN WITH SPANISH FLAG ON HER BACK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRO-UNION RETIRED, 73-YEARS-OLD PROTESTER, LUPE SAYING: "On October 1, according to them, they already had the republic and since they did not succeed, they want to succeed now. They are pressuring, pressuring, they have set up this whole circus to achieve the Catalan republic, to separate from Spain. We, the Spaniards, do not want. If they want a republic, they should buy an island and set up there. In Spain, this territory is Spain. Catalonia is Spanish territory for which my people gave blood." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRO-UNION PROTESTER, STUDENT, PABLO, 20, SAYING: "I think respect must be above everything. What has been lost here in Catalonia long ago is respect and a discourse of hate has been encouraged. I'm now quite tired of politicians, because politicians, regardless of their side, they encourage hate in their speeches, both on the side of Spain and Catalonia. What unites me to Spain within Catalonia, is its history, its culture, its people, the land, and all the beautiful things it has. What I hate is the message of hate. I'm sick and tired of listening to hate messages. When people love each other with a single cause, we can have achieve better things than what we have now." VARIOUS OF FAR-RIGHT DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING, HOLDING FLARES FAR-RIGHT PROTESTERS HOLDING SPANISH FLAG OF THE FASCIST FRANCO ERA FIREWORKS GOING OFF AND PROTESTERS CHEERING, SINGING "WE ARE SPANISH"
  • Embargoed: 31st October 2019 19:32
  • Keywords: Spain Catalonia catalan protest separatists violent protests riot police unity protest Spanish unity
  • Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B1HLVLZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Far-right supporters of Spanish unity and anti-fascist demonstrators traded insults in Barcelona on Thursday (October 17) as a line of riot police kept the two groups apart.
    Police confronted the far-right demonstrators with batons but nobody was hit.
    Separately a Spanish unity demonstration was organised in response to four days of demonstrations by Catalan separatists angry at Monday's (October 14) supreme court decision to convict 9 secessionist leaders to up to 13 years in prison over their role in the failed 2017 independence bid.
    The ruling triggered massive protests and violent scenes as demonstrators blocked access to the airport on Monday. Since then demonstrators have staged violent protests in the region's major cities, burning cars, rubbish containers and hurling molotov cocktails as they clashed with police who used foam projectiles to disperse the crowds.
    Independence is a highly divisive issue, with a poll in July showing backing for secession in the region at its lowest level in two years, with 48.3% of people against and 44% in favour.
    Catalonia is a semi-autonomous region with some 7.5 million inhabitants, who have their own language, parliament and flag. It is Spain's wealthiest region.
    (Production: Miguel Pereira, Julien Hennequin,Jordi Rubio)
  • 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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