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People take to the streets in support of imprisoned officials

Indignation and rage ruled on the streets of Barcelona yesterday, in the form of calls for the release of the political prisoners and for a general strike. The focus of the protests was the delegation of the Spanish government, which was circled by a ring of police officers to stop the protesters from reaching the building.

The ANC had organized a march from plaça de Catalunya to the delegation, headed by a loud-speaker van decorated with photographs of the imprisoned officials. When the van’s progress was stopped by police, the ANC vice president, Agustí Alcoberro, gave a speech amid calls of “ja n’hi ha prou” [enough is enough] from the crowd. The historian implored the assembled to turn their sadness into “courage, fight, mobilization and finally victory.” And he warned of falling into the traps of the state, while the crowd shouted “ni un pas enrere” [not one step backward]. After the van had left, the police charges began.

An event in plaça de Catalunya had been more peaceful, with the spokesman for the Òmnium association, Marcel Mauri, calling again for unity in defeating the repression and he showed his indignation at how the Spanish judiciary had treated the independence leaders: “Where did they see violence among this people? How dare they accuse us of being violent?”

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