“It’s time to take the risk”

“I took as risk, and I want my parliamentary representatives to do the same.” This was the demand that was repeated again and again by the citizens who gathered yesterday in Barcelona’s passeig de Colom, answering the call from the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) to urge pro-independence parliamentary groups to form a government and deploy the Catalan Republic, as was agreed on October 27.

Around 100,000 people (45,000 according to the police) from all over Catalonia participated in yet another public demonstration that filled the streets around the capital’s waterfront. The protest followed a banner stating “Republic Now!” and in the front lines were MPs from PdeCAT as well as some from ERC and other public figures, including the former Speaker of the House, Carme Forcadell marching alongside the vice president of the ANC, Agustí Alcoberro.

The demonstration marks the beginning of a key week in political activity. Candidate for the presidency Jordi Sánchez who has been denied permission by the courts to present his programme in parliament has decided not to appeal to the European Court at this point in time but will take the appeal to the Supreme Court itself. His defence lawyers have said that further measures would be announced today.

The mood of the march was festive but the demonstrators were firm in their demand that the efforts of the citizens in fighting for their right to vote in the October 1 referendum and the risks they personally took in doing so, should now be matched by their elected representatives in the Catalan parliament.