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Protesters flood Barcelona demanding release of separatist leaders

By Sam Edwards

 

Protesters take part in a demonstration called by pro-independence asociations asking for the release of jailed Catalan activists and leaders, in Barcelona, Spain, November 11, 2017. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho

 

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Catalan independence supporters clogged one of Barcelona's main avenues on Saturday to demand the release of separatist leaders held in prison for their roles in the region's banned independence drive.

 

Wearing yellow ribbons on their lapels to signify support, they filled the length of the Avenue Marina that runs from the beach to Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia church, while the jailed leaders' families made speeches.

 

Catalonia's two main grassroots independence groups called the march, under the slogan "Freedom for the political prisoners," after their leaders were remanded in custody on charges of sedition last month.

 

The protest is seen as a test of how the independence movement's support has fared since the Catalan government declared independence on Oct.

27, prompting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to fire its members, dissolve the regional parliament and call new elections for December.

 

"Look at all the people here," said 63-year-old Pep Morales, who was confident separatist parties would win the Dec. 21 election. "The independence movement is still going strong."

 

Many of the families, young people and pensioners there had travelled from across Catalonia to attend the march. They carried photos with the faces of those in prison and waved the red-and-yellow striped Catalan independence flag.

 

The Spanish High Court has jailed eight former government members, along with the leaders of the grassroots groups the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, while investigations into their roles continue.

 

The court last week issued arrest warrants on charges of rebellion and sedition for ex-regional president Carles Puigdemont, who flew to Brussels after being deposed, and four other former government members who went with him.

 

On Thursday, the Supreme Court released on bail the Catalan parliament's speaker Carme Forcadell and four other lawmakers, who enabled the declaration of independence by overseeing a parliamentary vote. Another lawmaker was released without bail.

 

Forcadell was released after agreeing to renounce any political activity that went against the Spanish constitution, according to the court's ruling, in effect banning her from campaigning for independence in the December election.

 

Those terms threaten to undermine the independence movement just as cracks are starting to appear and tensions rise between the grassroots and their leaders.

 

The PDeCAT party of Puigdemont has failed to agree on a united ticket to contest the election with another secessionist party, denting the pro-independence camp's hopes of pressing ahead with its bid to split from Spain after the election.

 

On Saturday, the separatist Esquerra Republicana party said the ousted Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, one of those in jail, would be its candidate in December and would campaign from behind bars.

 

Pepita Sole, a 61-year-old pensioner in the crowd on Saturday draped in a flag, said she understood the Oct. 27 declaration was symbolic but now wanted the real thing.

 

"They better understand that we're not faking," she said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-12

[eliotness]

This is not going to end nicely. Very sad !

[phantomfiddler]

The separatist leaders were after one thing only, their own fame and fortune, and as such should be chained up in some dark dungeon or else given the molten lead mouthwash :)

[tryasimight]

Can anyone offer some history on this? Is Catalonia a different religion or simply a different region? This conflict seems to have been going on for a very long time...why?

 

Pardon my Antipodean ignorance but even we great race from downunder cannot know everything.......although we will never admit to it!!

Edited November 12, 2017 by tryasimight

[tifino]

the Catalonian peoples are not physically bound by conventional borders.

 

Go well into Andorra, and then continue another hour's drive deeper into France,

Go East almost as far as Marseilles,

and you will commonly see the Catalan flag/Banner/Pennant? flying from residential balconies and windows

 

In a childish way, all you need do is pick up a copy of Asterix and Obelix; for the feeling of a little Gaul village, surrounded by France and the Romans...

Big brother Spain is scared of them, for they are the most financially capable region in Spain

 

... and, like Asterix&Obelix,  all that will really scare the Catalonians is the fear of the sky falling on their heads

[tryasimight]

So its just a regional thing then? Like Yorkshire wanting to secede from the UK type of thing? Because they see themselves as a different group of people?

[oldhippy]

51 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Can anyone offer some history on this? Is Catalonia a different religion or simply a different region? This conflict seems to have been going on for a very long time...why?

 

Pardon my Antipodean ignorance but even we great race from downunder cannot know everything.......although we will never admit to it!!

So you are not a Main Islander? (or "South Island" as the northerners viciously call it).

[oldhippy]

15 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

So its just a regional thing then? Like Yorkshire wanting to secede from the UK type of thing? Because they see themselves as a different group of people?

They are the ones that produce cava. Therefore they cannot do wrong in my eyes.

[tryasimight]

Nope....just a dumb Aussie. You might have me mixed up with our dumb brothers...the Kiwis.

[oldhippy]

I have mixed feelings about the Catalan people.

I visited Cataluna many many times.

Positive: 

Cava, and more seriously: the last ones to fight Franco; Beautifull scenery & good food, Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world.

Negative: Barcelona is the world capital of thieves, Catalans are rather pretentious, they want out of Spain partly because they are the richest area and pay netto to Spain.

I am all for regional autonomy, and preserving regional cultural differences, but independence? And anyway, what does independence really mean in the modern world? And I hate patriotism.....

[tryasimight]

What is cava?....I know Kava from the South Pacific...a mild narcotic....but cava?

Thanks for the info re Catalan people. Appreciate the info from first hand experience. I don't trust the digital information so readily available.

But that's just me.

[oldhippy]

6 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

What is cava?....I know Kava from the South Pacific...a mild narcotic....but cava?

Thanks for the info re Catalan people. Appreciate the info from first hand experience. I don't trust the digital information so readily available.

But that's just me.

Ah Kava..... the good old days in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga.....

Cava is bubbles, as good as champers, but much cheaper.

Freixenet and Codorniu are the big brands, but many small wineries make cava too.

 

[oldhippy]

A Catalan story.

 

A Catalan man spoke to me - in Catalan of course... Who in the world would not understand Catalan?....

 

I politely replied "yo no habla espanol" - I don't speak Spanish.

Man gets upset, and replies "yo no habla Castellan tambien". (me too, I do not speak castellan).

Observe, he did not say espanol, but castellan!

Next he lectured me in perfect french about the heroic history of Cataluna.

Hey hombre, I am only a gringo trying to speak the local lingo......

But somehow I sympathise with the Catalans. Not sure why.

 

[JAG]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

I have mixed feelings about the Catalan people.

I visited Cataluna many many times.

Positive: 

Cava, and more seriously: the last ones to fight Franco; Beautifull scenery & good food, Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in the world.

Negative: Barcelona is the world capital of thieves, Catalans are rather pretentious, they want out of Spain partly because they are the richest area and pay netto to Spain.

I am all for regional autonomy, and preserving regional cultural differences, but independence? And anyway, what does independence really mean in the modern world? And I hate patriotism.....

If a majority of Catalans do want "out of Spain", and perhaps we will find out in December - although if a significant proportion of the political leadership who favour independence are in jail or in exile it can hardly be claimed to be a free election - then presumably their wishes will be granted?

[oldhippy]

8 minutes ago, JAG said:

If a majority of Catalans do want "out of Spain", and perhaps we will find out in December - although if a significant proportion of the political leadership who favour independence are in jail or in exile it can hardly be claimed to be a free election - then presumably their wishes will be granted?

The vote will probably be about 51/49 pro or against.

 

I am not sure that democracy should mean that 51% can decide for 100%.

Sounds more like Burundi or Rwanda. Tough luck in those kind of countries  if you are tall (short) while 51% is short (tall).

 

I think that the whole idea of national independence is dated. Regional autonomy, particularly when culture is concerned is IMHO the way to go. Not: separate armies, police, tax, social security, health care, currency, minimum wages, etc.

 

 

[tifino]

If Federal Spain were really so genuine in stopping all this, it should have been done properly long long ago...

 

But, what did they do, again&again? They let theme them thiNJ it'seems all okay, let them have their annual flag waving street oar type parade,pat them on the head to appease their right ton play,then wait for it all to happen again the next year...

 

We saw it all during the 2015 time in Barcelona.

 

[greenchair]

On 11/12/2017 at 7:34 PM, tryasimight said:

Nope....just a dumb Aussie. You might have me mixed up with our dumb brothers...the Kiwis.

Speak for yourself.

The little knowledge that you have of catalan might be extended to include little knowledge of new Zealanders.

Kiwis are by no means dumb. 

Come to think of it, most aussies are not dumb either. 

So I guess you should rephrase that to be just dumb me.