Tens of thousands of people protested this Sunday in Barcelona against a possible amnesty law for Catalan independentists in Spain that, apparently, will be part of the socialists’ agreement to form a Government.
Under the slogan “Not in my name: neither amnesty nor self-determination”, the protest brought together, although not in front, the leaders of the right-wing parties, PP and Vox, respectively Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Santiago Abascal, as well as the leader of Ciudadanos in Catalonia, Carlos Carrizosa.
What is at stake is the negotiation, between the socialists of the PSOE and the Catalan independence parties to form a government in Spain – where the political crisis has been dragging on since July – of an amnesty for those involved in the attempt at self-determination of Catalonia in 2017. .
On the 3rd, and after a first frustrated attempt by Alberto Núñez Feijóo (the most voted in the July elections) to form a government, the king of Spain appointed the leader of the PSOE, Pedro Sánchez, to do so.
That day, the re-candidate for the position of President of the Government of Spain did not deny the possibility of amnesty for those involved in the attempt at self-determination, stating that it is the moment “for generosity and politics.”
This Sunday, in response, the Catalan Civil Society (SCC), a grassroots organization created in 2014 with the aim of promoting unity between Catalonia and Spain and combating independence, filled Passeig de Gràcia, in Barcelona.
According to the organization, the march brought together 300,000 people, a figure that the Barcelona police reduced to 50,000.
The vice president of the SCC, Álex Ramos, added that 400,000 people followed the protest online, via streaming.
At the march, where slogans such as “Puigdemont, in prison” were heard, in reference to the leader of the Catalan independence movement, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and other political leaders of the PP in the regions of Andalusia, Murcia and Aragon.
In one of the posters described by the Spanish agency Europa Press, King Felipe VI was accused of cowardice, for “selling Spain for five votes”, and in another he promised: “Neither forgetfulness nor forgiveness.”
The leader of the march carried a giant flag of Spain, accompanied by other flags brought by the protesters, of the European Union, of Catalonia, of the National Police and even of Vox (far-right party), despite the fact that the organization had asked the participants not to carry it. party symbols.
There were some moments of tension between participants and people who expressed a contrary opinion, but there were no reports of aggression, according to the Spanish agency Europa Press.
The Spanish agency Efe reports that Barcelona police detained a woman – who was holding a sign criticizing King Felipe VI for appointing Pedro Sánchez to form a government and was trying to get to the start of the march – for public disorder and attacking police officers. security. , after resorting to self-defense spray against several people around her.
Nearly three thousand people could benefit from an amnesty, since the judicial process not only targeted members of the then regional government and the autonomous parliament, but also hundreds of mayors or school directors, for example, who authorized the opening of spaces for the celebration of the referendum on the independence of Catalonia, on October 1, 2017, which had been declared illegal by the Constitutional Court of Spain.
Source: TSF
