- Title: Party protesters pelt police van with balloons in Catalonia
- Date: 21st October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 21, 2019) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS THROWING BALLOONS IN AIR POLICE VAN BEING TARGETED WITH PAINT BALLOONS PROTESTER CELEBRATING A THROW PROTESTER SQUEEZING PAINT FROM BOTTLE VARIOUS OF POLICE VEHICLE COVERED WITH PAINT CROWD AND POLICE CAR (BEHIND TREES) VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS AND PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OFFICER, 52, ARACELI CRESPO, SAYING: "It is true that the movement is very peaceful, yes, but it is also true that people are fed up because, of course, what is the answer on the other side? There is no dialogue, there is no will to understand, there isn't any opportunity to have any type of conversation. Sorry, this would be like a father-child relationship where the father always forces, always dominates, always punishes. What does one expect to receive from the other side? Do they expect to receive dialogue and empathy from someone who is learning and growing? I find this as incredible." (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) STUDENT, 18, GEORGINA FORTI, SAYING: "I think that I must fight for my future, for my democracy and my right of opinion. For me that is the most important thing and I think that our democracy is being cancelled here, so to speak." (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) ADMINISTRATOR, 55, PERE, SAYING: "The situation is now in neutral, I suppose that until the end of the electoral period they will not do anything, nor do I think they will do anything later, but for the moment nothing, as they are afraid of losing votes, all is stopped." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS THROWING BALLOONS
- Embargoed: 4th November 2019 20:44
- Keywords: Spain Barcelona Barcelona protests Catalan independence movement Catalan protests balloons Spanish politics
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B21KUH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Several thousand demonstrators put on a vibrant protest complete with festive balloons in front of the Catalan government's interior ministry in Barcelona on Monday (October 21) night.
Catalonia has now been hit by seven consecutive nights of sometimes violent protests after Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to prison last week.
The separatists were found guilty of sedition for their role in leading a failed 2017 bid for independence.
The crowds at Monday's protest slowly gathered in size after the sun set, with a Reuters photojournalist estimating that around 3,500 people took part in the balloon-themed demonstration.
Protesters chanted, clapped, and sang as they launched balloons of all colours and sizes into the air. Some balloons were filled with paint and thrown at a parked police van, leaving multi-coloured splotches on the vehicle.
The protest coincided with the visit of Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Catalonia where he met police injured in the previous days' violence.
The pro-independence regional chief, Quim Torra, had sought a meeting with Sanchez but was rebuffed.
(Production: Jordi Rubio, Nathan Frandino, Marissa Davison) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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