Thousands of Catalans demonstrate for independence in Barcelona

Barcelona, ​​September 11 (Reuters) – Thousands of Catalans intoned, sing and agitate flags while parading Barcelona Saturday, asking for the independence of the region of Spain.

La marxa, organitzada per l’Assemblea Nacional Catalana ANC de base, va ser la primera des que el govern espanyol va indultar nou líders separatistes catalans que havien estat empresonats pel seu paper en una petita candidatura d’independència del 2017, que va ser la Spain’s biggest political crisis in decades.

Most protesters wore face covers. Police said about 108,000 people took part. The ANC put the figure at around 400,000.

The figure was lower than in 2019, when about 600,000 left, and last year, when only small static protests were organized to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

Some of the nine pardoned politicians and activists attended Saturday’s protests. In Catalonia, September 11 commemorates La Diada, the anniversary of the fall of Barcelona into the hands of Spanish forces in 1714 and has been marked in the last decade by separatist rallies.

“For the first time in four years, nine very special people have returned to participate in La Diada. Political prisoners are back on the streets,” said ANC President Elisenda Paluzie.

Cultural activist Jordi Cuixart, who was among those imprisoned, urged the crowd to continue fighting for independence.

“Those who ask us to turn the page and do not want us to fight for self-determination … What is Spain’s plan for Catalonia? None. Only repression and more repression,” he said.

The protests took place at a time of less tension between Barcelona and Madrid than in recent years, as the central and regional governments favor dialogue despite their opposing views on independence.

The central and regional governments are expected to meet next week in Barcelona to resume talks on the political conflict in Catalonia, which have been suspended since February 2020.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has not yet confirmed whether he will attend and the talks are at risk of being overshadowed by a recent clash between the two governments related to Barcelona airport.

The Spanish government has said it is canceling an investment proposal of 1.7 billion euros ($ 2 billion) to expand the airport, and has said it does not have the support of regional authorities who have questioned its potential environmental impact while accusing Madrid of acting dishonestly.

($ 1 = $ 0.8465)

Report by Joan Faus, Jessica Jones and Albert Gea, Timothy Heritage edition

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