Barcelona swamped by supporters of Catalan independence vote

Hundreds of thousands of Catalans packed the streets of Barcelona to demand the right to vote on a potential split from Spain, their ambitions boosted by an independence referendum scheduled for next week in Scotland.

More than half a million Catalans signed up to take part, organizers said. They dressed in red and yellow, the colours of the Catalan flag, forming a "V" for "vote" in a show of support for holding a referendum.

In a festive atmosphere on Catalunya's national day, La Diada, people stood side by side along two of Barcelona's main arteries to form a huge "V", with the red-and-yellow stripes of the Catalan regional flag, La Senyera, clearly visible from aerial footage.

Many wore T-shirts saying "Ara es l'hora" ("Now is the time") in the Catalan language. Barcelona police estimated that as many as 1.8 million took part.

"We want a say in politics and our future. We've won back our sovereignty (by getting independence on the political agenda) and realised the strength we have, if we mobilise, to change things," said Carme Forcadell, head of the National Catalan Assembly (ANC), one of the organisers of the event.

The Catalan regional government, which like other Spanish regions has a large degree of autonomy, has called a non-binding referendum on Nov. 9 over whether Catalonia should become a separate state.

The Madrid government says the vote is illegal and cannot go ahead and the issue is deeply entrenched, pitting Catalunya against the rest of Spain.

"We don't expect anything good from the Spanish government. All we get is misunderstanding, intolerance, threats and totally anti-democratic attitudes. They've always been like that," said Oscar Sanchez, who is jobless.

"We just want to be treated equally, with respect. Nothing more. We are Catalans, not Spaniards."

Polls show that 80 percent of Catalans want to vote on the issue.

Catalunya's campaign has drawn momentum from the upcoming referendum on whether Scotland should split from the United Kingdom, support for which has gained ground recently to make it a close call.

The government in London opposes Scottish independence, but says it will abide by whatever the voters decide.

The price of Spanish government bonds has been falling as edgy investors trim their holdings before Scotland's vote, where a victory for the nationalists would no doubt fuel Catalunya's demands.

The fact that Scots have been allowed to vote at all was singled out as the main motivation for taking part today's event, organisers and participants said.............................http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/169501/barcelona-swamped-by-supporters-of-catalan-independence-vote-
11/9/14 
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