Hundreds of Catalan separatists condemn Spanish government's actions

Record ID: 1438143

  • Title: Hundreds of Catalan separatists condemn Spanish government's actions
  • Date: 23rd October 2019
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 23, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF CATHEDRAL VARIOUS PROTESTERS WITH BANDAGES OVER THEIR EYES VARIOUS OF PROTESTER IN WHEELCHAIR MORE OF PROTESTERS WITH BANDAGE OF EYES SIGN IN CATALAN THAT READS "THIS SENTENCE IS A VENGEANCE" PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AMANDA, 60-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF BARCELONA, SAYING: "I have been protesting for many years. Today is just one more day. Spain is a fascist state. Even though Franco died, his descendents continue. Catalonia is another country. They (Spain) don't accept dialogue. We want to leave, we are suffocating, they are beating us, economically and culturally. I've been protesting against this for years with the rest of my compatriots." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NURIA LOPEZ, 63-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF BARCELONA, SAYING: "As a result of the sentencing resulting in our political leaders being condemned to 9 to 13 years, and that many of our political partners and politicians have to be in exile, and the others who are detained by the Spanish national police and the Catalan police... we are going out onto the streets to demonstrate as we have the right to demonstrate. It's a universal right. We have gone out to protest and there have been many injuries and hospitalizations, and we are protesting in defense of those people who are hospitalized and detained in prison, pending trial." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PACO AMOLLA, 70-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF BARCELONA, SAYING: "It's been a week of enormous pain for the Catalans, over our leaders. I could be tried exactly like them because I have gone to the protests. I have heard what they told us: go home because everything is alright. The sentencing is an absurd shame. And the first thing (reaction) is indignation and sadness. This is the first thing that the Catalans who are protesting every day think. That is in their heads. Enormous indignation and enormous sadness for these circumstances." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING SIGNS BANNER VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS ON STEPS OF CATHEDRAL CATALONIA SUPERIOR POLICE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING SIGN VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING IN FRONT OF POLICE BUILDING POLICE VANS ON STREET PROTESTERS GATHERED ON STREET
  • Embargoed: 6th November 2019 12:36
  • Keywords: Catalan protesters condemn Spanish government Spain Catalan politics Catalan protest Barcelona Catalan independence movement Cathedral Catalonia Spanish government
  • Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B2BJ6TJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: About 250 protesters gathered in the Cathedral Plaza in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday (October 23) to condemn what they say is the Spanish government's repression and propaganda after more than a week of at-times violent protests over jail sentences for nine separatist leaders.
    Chanting anti-government slogans and holding signs that read "Spain doesn't talk, Spain convicts," many protesters wore bandages over their eyes in solidarity with protesters who have been injured during the unrest.
    Spain's main parties have consistently rejected calls for an independence referendum and acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez spurned Catalonia's regional government leader Quim Torra during a quick visit to Catalonia on Monday (October 21), accusing him of failing in his duty to restore order and condemn protest violence.
    Protesters on Wednesday said they were disappointed that Sanchez avoided meeting with Torra, condemning Spain for not talking with Catalonia's government.
    The protesters eventually marched to the Police Headquarters of Catalonia where they occupied the street and continued chanting against the authorities.
    The wealthy northeastern region has been rocked by nine consecutive nights of protests after nine Catalan separatist leaders on Oct. 14 were convicted to long jail terms over sedition for leading a failed 2017 bid for independence that included holding a banned referendum.
    The atmosphere has calmed down since Sunday, however.
    The unrest has been a challenge for Sanchez, who faces a repeat parliamentary election next month.
    (Production: Rodrigo Gutierrez, Nathan Frandino)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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