2019–2020 Catalan protests
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2019–2020 Catalan protests | ||||
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Protestas por la sentencia del juicio a los líderes del proceso independentista catalán Marchas por la Libertad Part of the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport with “Free all political prisoners” sign; Spanish unionists in a vigil in the Catalan centre and the track with the word "Llibertat" (Catalan for "Liberty") | ||||
Date | 14 October 2019 – 20 November 2019 | |||
Location | ||||
Caused by | ||||
Methods | riots, occupations, general strikes | |||
Parties | ||||
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Lead figures | ||||
Number | ||||
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Casualties and losses | ||||
The sentencing of nine
Background
The Spanish autonomous community of
The Spanish Government, then led by
The
By the end of the polling day, the Catalan government had declared that the referendum had been successfully held and announced that over 90% of voters had voted for independence with a 43% voter turnout. Nine days later, citing the result of the referendum, the Parliament of Catalonia voted for and issued the Catalan declaration of independence, which declared an independent Republic of Catalonia.
The declaration, however, was in direct contradiction to Article 115
On 14 October 2019, nine of the Catalan independence leaders were sentenced to between nine and 13 years in prison, with another three being fined. The demonstrations erupted to protest the Supreme Court's ruling shortly thereafter.[6][7][8][9][10]
Protests begin
Protests against the sentencing of the Catalan independence leaders began on 14 October at
Clashes erupted into open violence, as protesters reacted violently at police efforts to end the demonstration, with some demonstrators reportedly throwing rocks and using fire extinguishers against police officers. The Catalan Law Enforcement agency
Quim Torra addresses the protest
On 17 October, the President of the
Shortly thereafter, the Catalan President attempted to rally the crowd by stating that he would push for a new independence referendum as large scale protests continued for the fourth day.[16] On 18 October, Barcelona became paralyzed, as tens of thousands of peaceful protesters answered the Catalan President's call and rallied in support of the jailed independence leaders.[17] The demonstration grew quickly, with the Barcelona police counting at least 525,000 protesters in the city.[1]
General strike
By late 18 October, minor trade unions (
As a result of the strike, trains and metro lines saw a reduction to 33% of their usual capacity, while buses saw a reduction to 25-50% of their usual capacity. The roads to the French border remained blocked and all roads leading into Barcelona were also cut. 190 flights in and out of the city were cancelled as a result of the strike. Spanish car manufacturer SEAT further announced a halt in the production of its Martorell plant and most of Barcelona's tourist sites had been closed and occupied by pro-independence demonstrators waving estelada independence flags and posters with pro-independence slogans.[20] The El Clásico football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF was postponed due to the strike.[21]
By the end of the day, just like the previous days, riots developed in the centre of Barcelona. Masked individuals blocked the boulevard close to the city's police headquarters. Withdrawn to the vicinity of the Plaça Urquinaona, protesters erected barricades setting trash bins in fire and hurled rubble (shattered from the pavement) and other solid objects at riot policemen.[22] The riot units responded with non-lethal foam, rubber bullets, tear gas, and smoke grenades. For the first time, the Mossos used water cannon trucks acquired in 1994 from Israel in order to clear the barricades.[23] The clashes spread to cities outside Barcelona, with Spain's acting interior minister stating that 207 policemen had been injured since the start of the protests, while also noting that 128 people had been arrested by the nation's police forces. Miquel Buch, the Catalan Interior Minister, responsible for public order, and a pro-independence politician, called the violence "unprecedented" and distanced himself from the violent events, instead calling for peaceful protests to continue.[2]
A Spanish judge ordered the closure of an influential, but secretive Catalan protest group dubbed Democratic Tsunami. It had drawn thousands of followers and had directed its members to protest sites. Democratic Tsunami reacted to its ban by accusing the Spanish Authorities of censorship, stating that it had always been non-violent.[2]
On 19 October, following a fifth consecutive night of violence, Catalan President Quim Torra called for talks between the Catalan independence movement and the
Despite the pleas of the Catalan leaders for the demonstrations to remain peaceful, violence once again erupted by nightfall, leading to clashes between protesters and police forces for the sixth night in a row.[25]
Demonstrations continue
Despite the fact that demonstrations had been taking place on a daily basis, the protests were reinvigorated again on 26 October, after Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Òmnium Cultural, two organizations whose former leaders had been jailed for sedition following the trial, called for a march at 5pm local time. 350,000 people attended the rally in Barcelona alone. The rally remained mostly peaceful. The Catalan president thanked the demonstrators for their participation.[26][27][28]
A separate protest called by the Committees for the Defense of the Republic began at about 7:30pm, numbering about 10,000. Despite a peaceful beginning, violent clashes took place before the local police headquarters after masked youths threw colorful plastic balls at the police officers present. The colorful balls were then replaced with stones and bottles, while police forces charged the demonstrators with batons. The protesters later formed a human chain in order to block any advances on Urquinaona square. The police charged the protesters with 20 riot vans and dispersed demonstrators through Barcelona's Gran Via avenue after splitting the protest in two. At several points the demonstrators resisted the charges by setting up barricades on the street.[29][30][26]
See also
- Self-determination
- Operación Judas (in Spanish)
References
- ^ ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ a b c "Violent clashes rock Barcelona on fifth day of separatist protests". Reuters. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Los heridos en las protestas de Cataluña suman ya 576". 19 October 2019. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ "Las movilizaciones han dejado un balance de 18 hospitalizados y un total de 576 atenciones médicas del SEM". 19 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Spanish government dismisses call for Catalan talks; police brace for more unrest". Reuters. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Violent clashes as Spain jails Catalan separatists". 14 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Catalan crisis in 300 words". 14 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Police clash with protesters at Barcelona airport". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Thousands return to streets in Catalonia protests". 15 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Spanish PM: we will not be provoked by Catalonia violence". The Guardian. 16 October 2019.
- ^ "Watch dramatic street battles in Barcelona". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Catalan leader pushes for second independence vote". 17 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Demonstrations paralyse Barcelona". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ Farrés, Cristina (19 October 2019). "Indignación sindical: es un 'paro patronal', no una huelga". Crónica Global.
- ^ "Barcelona hit by fresh clashes amid general strike". 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Barcelona protests: General strike shuts down Catalonia". www.thelocal.es. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "'Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid postponed". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ "Batalla campal por las calles del centro de Barcelona en la quinta jornada de protestas independentistas". rtve.es. 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Los Mossos utilizan por primera vez la tanqueta de agua para abrir paso entre las barricadas". La Vanguardia. 19 October 2019.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ "Barcelona mayor's plea for calm as violence continues for sixth night". Sky News. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Manifestación independentista en Barcelona | Última hora de los enfrentamientos". La Vanguardia. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Police and protesters clash as thousands flood Barcelona for separatist rally". The National. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ Phillips, Morgan (26 October 2019). "Barcelona pro-independence protesters clash with police after massive peaceful rally". Fox News. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Watch back: More protests in Barcelona after separatist leaders jailed". euronews. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Spanish police, massed Catalan protesters clash in central Barcelona". Reuters. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
External links
Media related to Protests against sentence of the trial of Catalonia independence leaders at Wikimedia Commons