- Title: Thousands of Catalan separatists take to the streets calling for independence
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THOUSANDS OF CATALAN SEPARATISTS LINING THE STREETS WAVING CATALAN INDEPENDENCE FLAGS (ESTELADAS) SIGN READING (Catalan): "Jail is not the solution" CATALAN INDEPENDENCE FLAGS (ESTELADAS) (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) RUBEN, 34, LOCOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN, SAYING: "Well, what we have been saying many times, is that it is time to sit down and talk, I think it is time for the state to find a solution because it seems that this has no end and we are always at the same point. We have come here because we are fed up with so much repression that we have suffered from the state." (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) MARIA ANGELS SERRADA, 55, FOOD SECTOR, SAYING: "They don't want to listen to us and don't want to sit down and talk, which is what we desire. We have always defended nonviolence, what is happening in Barcelona is not a reflection of us, we separatists are not violent, we want our country, we want to be free." (SOUNDBITE (Catalan) ANTONI SABATER, 75, PENSIONER, SAYING: "We have come here because the only solution we find, especially for the country, this third world country - as we see from here - is the freedom of political prisoners. If not, there will be no solution." DEMONSTRATORS LINING THE STREETS
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 15:39
- Keywords: Barcelona Catalonia independence march protest
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2QH8P3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Catalan separatists lined the streets of Barcelona on Saturday (October 26) calling for independence and the release of jailed leaders.
The Catalan capital has been convulsed by almost two weeks of daily demonstrations since nine politicians and activists were jailed for between nine and 13 years for their role in an independence bid in 2017 that Spain's courts had declared illegal.
Demonstrators prepared to march through the city centre that organisers Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Omnium Cultural - grassroots groups whose leaders are among the nine serving jail terms - hoped would draw the largest crowds of any demonstration since the sentences were passed.
Both groups say they are committed to peaceful protests, but some of last week's marches were marred by violence, including clashes between demonstrators and police.
Spain's main parties, including the minority Socialist government, have consistently rejected any moves towards secession, a stance they have reiterated in recent days as the country gears up for a national election on Nov. 10.
Catalonia's electorate is itself split over the issue of independence, and supporters of continued unity with Spain will hold a rival rally in Barcelona on Sunday (October 27) that the leaders of the country two main centre-right parties, PP and Ciudadanos, are due to attend.
(Production: Jordi Rubio, Albert Gea, Guillermo Martinez, Luis Felipe Fernandez, Liza Feria) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None