Almost half a million protesters flooded Barcelona’s streets this evening as Spain took drastic measures to stop Catalonia from breaking away. The march took place after plans were announced to dismiss the region’s separatist government and call fresh elections.
Barcelona police said 450,000 people had joined a protest in the regional capital, many of them chanting the words ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’. Thousands were waving Catalonia’s yellow, red and blue separatist flag. Meritxell Agut, a 22-year-old bank worker, said: ‘I feel totally outraged and extremely sad.
‘They’ve trampled on our rights and our ideas as Catalans. They can destroy everything they want but we’ll keep on fighting.’ Madrid could take direct control over Catalonia’s police force and replace its public media chiefs, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy saying he had no other choice, faced with a grave threat to Spain’s national unity. Elections for the semi-autonomous region must be called within six months, he added.
The measures must now pass through the Senate – a process that will take about a week – but Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party (PP) holds a majority there and his efforts to prevent a break-up of Spain have the backing of other major parties. Autonomy is a highly sensitive issue in Catalonia, which saw its powers taken away under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. Home to 7.5 million people, the wealthy northeastern region fiercely defends its language and culture and has previously enjoyed control over its policing, education and healthcare.
Though she opposes the independence drive, Barcelona mayor Ada Colau also deplored Madrid’s decision, tweeting: ‘Rajoy has suspended the self-government of Catalonia for which so many people fought. ‘A serious attack on the rights and freedoms of everyone.’
