Catalans protest Madrid’s crackdown ahead of independence referendum

Thousands of people in Spain’s Catalonia have gathered outside the region’s judicial body in Barcelona to protest a crackdown by the central government ahead of a planned referendum of independence in the region.

The protesters attended the rally on Thursday on a call by the Catalan National Assembly, a driving force behind the secession movement, which has demanded popular action against efforts by Madrid to disrupt the October 1 referendum.

The demonstrators chanted slogans in favor of independence from Spain while calling on Madrid to release at least 12 people, mostly local officials, suspected of coordinating the referendum.

“We will be here, peacefully but present, until all of the arrested walk out free,” Jordi Sanchez, the Assembly's president, said to the cheering crowds who waved "estelada" flag, a symbol of those in favor of an independent Catalan republic.

Others chanted "We will vote!" and "Hello democracy” during the rally which by midday filled a square the size of two soccer fields.

"Our motto is that we are not afraid," said a young protester, adding, "We want to vote because we have the right to decide, regardless of what we vote."

Police closely watched the event, which got tense at some moments. Some protesters surrounded an officer, angrily whistling and jeering at him, live video coming from the ground showed.

The Spanish government has branded Catalonia’s independence referendum illegal, saying those contributing to the vote in any form would face criminal prosecution.

Police intensified their crackdown on Wednesday after the arrest of officials while authorities said some 10 million ballot papers, which had been stored for the vote in a secret place, were confiscated.

Recent polls by the Catalan regional government shows those opposing the region’s secession from Spain outnumber supporters. However, a majority of people in the territory, which is economically powerful, have endorsed the referendum to decide on the issue once and for all.

Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras said on Thursday that he was confident of a large turnout in the referendum despite the Wednesday crackdown which he acknowledged had affected the preparations.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk