Pro-Catalonia independence rally in Barcelona as Spain marks national day
305 views · Published 17 October 2018 · 3:42 · Indexed 29 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(12 Oct 2018) Thousands of people on Friday celebrated Spain's National Day in Barcelona and demanded that Catalonia remain a part of the country. According to local police, 65-thousand people attended the annual public display of pomp and patriotism in Plaza Catalunya and along the Paseo de Gracia, one of the city's most iconic tourist avenues. Wearing Spanish flags on their shoulders, demonstrators chanted that they were both Spanish and Catalan. Catalan leaders, who are demanding independence for the wealthy northeastern region stayed away from ceremonies in Barcelona - as usual. Catalonia's mostly pro-independence parliament passed a motion on Thursday calling for the abolition of the monarchy. Nearby, hundreds of Catalan independence supporters held a so-called "anti-fascist" demonstration. Police escorted them and made sure the two demonstrations didn't cross each other to avoid clashes. Polls show Catalans are roughly equally divided on the issue over independence for the region. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/257745e9e63ebac5e8ee64cb6a6c95a6
