With blockades, demonstrations and a strike, supporters of the Catalan independence movement again protested against the trial of twelve of their leaders. According to police, around 40,000 people demonstrated in the Catalan metropolis of Barcelona last night. In clashes with police, 37 people were injured, including six policemen. Four people were arrested.
Throughout the day, pro-independence activists had blocked numerous roads and highways in the Spanish region of Catalonia. According to the traffic authorities, about 20 roads were interrupted, including a motorway between Spain and France and all major access roads to Barcelona. With a sit-down activists also blocked rail lines in the region.
The small union Intersindical CSC had called for a regional strike. Larger unions did not join in the call, however, so stoppages had limited impact.
200,000 on Saturday in the street
The actions again protested against the trial of Catalan independence leaders opened a week ago. According to police, 200,000 people took to the streets last Saturday in Barcelona.
The twelve politicians are in Madrid because of „rebellion“ before the Supreme Court. They are accused of having organized the independence referendum in October 2017 despite judicial prohibition, as a result of which the then regional president Carles Puigdemont had declared the region independent.
Puigdemont later fled abroad. He is not among the defendants in the proceedings, as under Spanish law in serious charges defendants can not be made in absentia the process.
