- Title: Hundreds of thousands join grassroots march for jailed Catalan leaders
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS WAVING INDEPENDENCE FLAGS VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING AND HOLDING UP SIGNS NAKED PROTESTER WITH PHOTOS OF JAILED LEADERS COVERING BODY
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 17:09
- Keywords: Catalonia Barcelona march independence protest jailed leaders Spain
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA007B2QH9HJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of Catalans marched peacefully through Barcelona on Saturday (October 26) in support of calls to free jailed separatist leaders, after the region's mayors demanded it be allowed to map out its own political future.
The city has witnessed daily pro-secession demonstrations since Oct. 14, when Spain's Supreme Court jailed nine politicians and activists for up to 13 years for their role in a failed independence bid in 2017.
Grassroots groups Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANCE) and Omnium Cultural had hoped Saturday's march would draw the largest crowds of any since the sentences were passed, acting as a counterweight to unrest that marred some demonstrations last week, when one gathering drew an estimated 500,000.
Local police put Saturday's attendance at 350,000.
Both groups eschew violence and their leaders are among the nine serving jail terms.
Saturday's crowd included many carrying Catalan pro-independence flags and banners bearing slogans.
(Production: Albert Gea, Jordi Rubio, Guillermo Martinez, Liza Feria, Luis Felipe Fernandez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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