The paramilitary Guardia Civil, strongly associated in some people’s minds with the fascist dictatorship, is rarely seen in the region. The mood was tense and very different from the party atmosphere at the million-strong pro-independence rally a little over a week ago.Ĭatalonia is mainly policed by the local Mossos d’Esquadra. Smaller demonstrations were being held in other parts of the city, blocking major roads and causing traffic chaos. The crowd, breaking into the Catalan national anthem and waving placards reading “We are voting to be free,” began by chanting “No tinc por” (I’m not afraid) – the slogan used in response to last month’s terrorist attacks in the city.īut the chant was soon replaced by a new cry: “Occupation forces out!” By mid morning the crowd had swelled to more than 2,000 people blocking Gran Via, one of Barcelona’s principal thoroughfares.īy late afternoon, under the clatter of surveillance helicopters and with a heavy police presence, the angry but peaceful rally had grown to some 5,000, with hundreds more people joining as they finished work or got out of school. Photograph: Andreu Dalmau/EPAĪs news of the arrests emerged, a crowd began to gather outside the finance ministry, one of the targets of the raids. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont.
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