Thousands of people took part this Sunday morning in Barcelona in the demonstration called by the anti-independence organization Societat Civil Catalana against a possible amnesty for those accused of the trial. Under the slogan “Not in my name: neither amnesty nor self-determination,” the organization chose this date for the protest, which coincides with the sixth anniversary of the first major anti-independence demonstration in 2017. The mobilization has gathered in an unprecedented protest in Barcelona against the senior staff of the PP, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo and four of its regional presidents – Madrid, Andalusia, Murcia and Aragón – as well as against the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal. The two parties shied away from each other and there was no new joint photo of the right like the one taken in 2019 in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid together against the negotiations with the independents. The city guard estimates the number of participants at 50,000 people; the organizers with 300,000.
The march took place on Passeig de Gràcia in central Barcelona and was far from the last protest of 2019, with 80,000 people gathering against unrest over the trial’s decision. And of course the high point of the Catalan independence process, when on October 8th 350,000 people gathered and took to the streets to protest against the 1-O referendum. The organizers have maintained all week that the event is transversal, that it is not a second part of the protest called by the PP on September 23 in Madrid – with 40,000 people – and that it has nothing to do with the right have to do. not even with the left one. The reality is different: the right has capitalized on the protest and criticism of Pedro Sánchez has remained constant. The left was absent and the most important leader of this spectrum was the former mayor of A Coruña, Francisco Vázquez, who left the PSOE in 2014 and took part in the closing speeches. The Catalan Socialists have completely distanced themselves from the mobilizations, unlike in 2017 – when Salvador Illa, now leader of the PSC, spoke out – and in 2019.
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With Spanish flags as cloaks and red and yellow umbrellas to beat the oppressive heat, the demonstration began on Passeig de Gràcia, where it meets Carrer de Provença, and ended on Gran Via, where the stage was located. Final. Amid unanimous cries such as “Puigdemont in prison!”, reminiscent of the slogans heard in 2017, and “Sánchez, traitor!”, the demonstration broke into several parts. The one with the main headline, whose banner was carried by members of civil society with the main motto, was followed meters behind that of Vox, which read: “No to amnesty; “Not to the Sánchez coup.” The PP leaders marched forward surrounded by their security team, cameras and dozens of demonstrators who wanted to take a photo with them. Feijóo, whose investiture attempt failed, was received in the same manner as Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, shouting “President.”
A demonstrator holds a sign against the amnesty. Albert García
There were no party acronyms, as requested by the organizers, and anti-amnesty banners were in the majority. But dolls imitating Pedro Sánchez with a Pinocchio nose, slogans against Vice President Yolanda Díaz and photos of Oriol Junqueras (with the inscription “Give back what was stolen”) or Gabriel Rufián were also seen. The demonstration passed virtually without incident, aside from the arrest of a 67-year-old woman for rioting and an attack on authority after she sprayed a group of protesters as they tried to reach the front of the rally. The Mossos d’Esquadra removed two women from the middle of the promenade who were carrying a banner against the king that read: “Felipe VI, accomplice of the electoral coup, for democracy and the will of the Spanish people.” .” . The two demonstrated for a long time with the banner near the People’s Leadership Parade. One of them demanded from police their right to move on, but was pushed aside while other protesters chanted “Long live the king!” TV3 cameras were reprimanded while covering the protest.
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Participants of the demonstration against the amnesty this Sunday in Barcelona. Albert García
Elda Mata, president of the civil society, described the mobilization as a success, which she said was a loudspeaker against amnesty and self-determination. The company believes that the amnesty will only be the prelude to the referendum and will endanger the equality of Spaniards. The protest further strained relations between the PP and PSOE and between the pro-independence parties. Surrounded by a cloud of cameras before La Pedrera, Feijóo described the possible amnesty as an “inappropriate cacicada” and “reactionary” decision, and Ayuso accused Sánchez of acting in a “tyrannical” manner to change seven votes the “fate of a nation” .
President Pere Aragonès viewed the demonstration as a confirmation of “failure.” “His only message to Catalonia is revenge, oppression and hatred,” he explained. Salvador Illa, First Secretary of the PSC, regretted that Feijóo and Abascal only created “fear and tension” and also recalled the election result of 23-J. Then the left and the independence movement gained 40 of 48 seats in Catalonia.
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