- Title: Barcelona's Sagrada Familia shut down due to separatist protests
- Date: 18th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) PROTESTER WAVING PRO-INDEPENDENCE "ESTELADA" FLAG IN FRONT OF SAGRADA FAMILIA BASILICA PROTESTERS CHANTING AND CALLING FOR INDEPENDENCE AT GATE OF SAGRADA FAMILIA GROUP OF PROTESTERS GATHERED NEAR SAGRADA FAMILIA SIGN OUTSIDE SAGRADA FAMILIA ADVISING TOURISTS THE BASILICA CANNOT GUARANTEE ENTRY DUE TO PROTESTERS GATHERED BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE PROTESTERS CHANTING AND CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM IRELAND, DEIRDRE HICKEY, SAYING: "They are doing what they think is right for their country so I respect that. For us as tourists it doesn't really affect us, but today I definitely wanted to see this (Sagrada familia), but I couldn't, but you know maybe I will have to come over again and see it." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, JOANA BRUGUERA, SAYING: "We have to go out onto to the streets to demonstrate peacefully, without fighting, because we have to go out and say this (sentencing of secessionist leaders) is not fair." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, JOAN MARC SAMO, 18, SAYING: "We are protesting outside the Sagrada Familia to demand the freedom of "The Jordis" (activists Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart) and the other prisoners who have had jail terms that together add up to 100 years and that we think justice has been very unfair with people who organised a referendum which is a democratic tool to find out what the opinion of the people is. One hundred years in prison for exercising the right to vote is too much." SAGRADA FAMILIA, PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE BASILICA PROTESTERS HOLDING PICTURES OF KING FELIPE UPSIDE DOWN PROTESTERS OUTSIDE BASILICA SECURITY IN THE BASILICA LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF TOURISTS OUTSIDE BASILICA WITH THEIR GUIDE FAMILY PLAYING CARDS ON THE GROUND, PROTESTERS SITTING OUTSIDE BASILICA, BASILICA EL MASNOU, SPAIN (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MARCHING ON HIGHWAY BY THE SEASIDE HEADING TO BARCELONA BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) TRACTORS ON THE ROAD WITH PEOPLE MARCHING ON THE HIGHWAY
- Embargoed: 1st November 2019 11:02
- Keywords: catalan separatist independence Spain Catalan march catalan protesters
- Location: BARCELONA, EL MASNOU, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, EL MASNOU, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1MJYO7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona's Sagrada Familia cathedral closed due to separatist protests on Friday (October 18).
The Sagrada Familia's official Twitter account said a group of protesters stood in front of the entrance and access to the premise - one of Barcelona's main tourist attractions - could not be guaranteed anymore.
A similar announcement was put up on the entrance of Basilica where protesters chanted secessionist slogans and sang pro-independence songs.
Catalonia is on its fifth day of protests after a supreme court ruling on Monday (October 14) convicted nine separatist leaders to up to 13 years in prison for their role in the region's 2017 independence drive.
Thousands of people have protested peacefully but other demonstrations have turned violent.
Barcelona town hall said 400 garbage containers were set ablaze during protests on Wednesday (October 16) and estimated that the city had suffered damage totalling more than 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in two days.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Albert Gea, Juan Medina, Silvio Castellanos, Luis Felipe Fernandez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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