A sovereign national day
A million people take to the streets for a sixth year in a row to demand the right of self-determination with less than three weeks until the October 1 referendum
“We will vote, we will vote...!” So went the cry from a million people, say Guàrdia Urbana local police, or 350,000, according to the Spanish government. Yesterday, the centre of Barcelona filled with people demanding the right to self-determination, while some 150 accredited international media outlets looked on.
After legislation to carry out a referendum on independence was passed on Wednesday, yesterday people turned out in the Catalan capital to show that nothing will stop their determination to vote on their political future on October 1. And, it all went off as it does every year, without any major incidents, in a peaceful and festive atmosphere.
The president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC in Catalan), Jordi Sànchez, summed up this new show of people power: “With this attitude they cannot do anything, not prosecutors, not judges, not Civil Guard,” he said. Meanwhile, Òmnium head, Jordi Cuixart, said: “The State no longer has any authority over the people of Catalonia.” “It is the best boost for the referendum,” tweeted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who went on yet again to invite Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy to reflect and allow a binding vote.
Yesterday was a day to defend the sovereignty of a nation that five years ago chose the national day of Catalonia to rebel and begin a secession process. Since then, every year, hundreds of thousands have turned out to demand their right to self-determination. The aerial images of the crossroads of Aragó street and Passeig de Gràcia, with the protesters forming a huge plus sign, send a message to the world and to the supporters of unionism that they can no longer ignore reality.