Institutions pay traditional tribute to 1714 patriot Rafael Casanova

Barcelona (CNA).- The flower offering to Rafael Casanova’s statue, Barcelona’s Chief Councillor who died defending the city from the Bourbon troops in 1714, began the commemorative events on Catalonia’s National Day. All the political parties represented in the Catalan Parliament, except from the Conservative People’s Party (PP), Spanish Unionist ‘Ciutadans’ and radical left pro-independence CUP placed flowers at Casanova’s monument. The Catalan Government was represented by Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, Catalan Vice President and Catalan Minister for Economy and Tax Office, Oriol Junqueras and Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raül Romeva. The Parliament’s President, Carme Forcadell and Barcelona’s Mayor, Ada Colau, were also amongst the highest political representatives.

Pro-independence cross-party list, governing ‘Junts Pel Sí’ was the first political party to place flowers at Casanova’s monument. ‘Demòcrates de Catalunya’, the party which split from former CDC partner Christian-Democrat Unió, were next, just before pro-independence left wing ERC, led by its president, Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras. The Catalan Democratic Party (PDC), the former Liberals Convergència, also took part in the event, led by former Catalan President, Artur Mas.

The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), alternative left alliance ‘Cataluna Sí que es Pot’ also attended the ceremony, as well as 'En Comú Podem', the coalition which won the last Spanish Elections in Catalonia and gathers together members from Catalan Green-Socialist party ICV, alternative left-wing Podem, which is the Catalan branch of the Spanish party

As has happened for the last number of years, the Conservative People’s Party (PP), Spanish Unionist ‘Ciutadans’ and radical left pro-independence CUP refused to attend the tribute in the Catalan capital.

A wide range of civil society organisations also participated in the event, such as FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. The two main associations responsible for the latest massive pro-independence demonstrations on Catalonia’s National Day, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Òmnium, also participated in the event.

Nearly every village in Catalonia held similar tributes to commemorate Catalonia’s National Day.

11th of September 1714

The homage paid to Casanova commemorates the day when Barcelona, and consequently Catalonia as a whole, finally succumbed to the Bourbon troops of Philip V, after a brutal military siege that had lasted for 14 months. The 11th of September 1714 saw Catalonia’s defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, and consequently its loss of sovereignty, self-government institutions and Constitution. The rendition meant that from that day on, the new regime imposed harsh political, economic, social and cultural repression that lasted until the 1970s.