Nissan workers’ protest steps up after closure decision: 'We will fight until the end'

Hundreds of Nissan workers protested outside its main plant in Catalonia after the Japanese carmaker confirmed it intends to move out.

The march began at around 11 am on Thursday with employees burning tires outside the plant's entrances and cut off roads in the Zona Franca industrial estate, where the main seat of Nissan in Barcelona is located.

Soon afterward, and shortly before noon, workers blocked off Barcelona's Litoral ring road and marched towards the center of the city cutting Gran Via, one of the Catalan capital's main entrances and exits.

At the same time, another rally began in the morning outside another Nissan factory also affected by the announcement in Montcada i Reixac. Workers protested and also cut the C-17 road in the early afternoon. 

Chants such as 'We will fight until the end', 'They won't close the plant' and 'If this is not fixed, war, war, war' were heard by our Catalan News reporter.

The atmosphere has since cooled down, but Nissan workers have promised to continue protesting on Friday. 

Over 3,000 people work in the five Nissan plants in Catalonia and unions say that this decision will not only affect them but also another 20,000 jobs indirectly.