Pro-independence activists end occupation of EU HQ in Barcelona

Pro-independence activists have abandoned a sit-in protest in the European Union headquarters in Barcelona to demand the release of jailed Catalan leaders and call on EU institutions to "make a move."

Members of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) occupied the headquarters of the European Commission and the European Parliament on Friday in protest over the upcoming trial of Catalan political leaders and to call for self-determination.

Various members of the pro-independence pressure group entered the EU headquarters in the center of Barcelona and locked themselves inside, while dozens of others blocked the front doors to prevent anyone else from entering the building.

At least 20 activists stayed overnight. The ANC announced in a press conference on Saturday morning that the protest action was over.

Soon after the occupation took place on Friday, the ANC posted messages on social media calling on sympathizers to join the protest, taking advantage of the fact that a lot of supporters were already in the area making their way to a different demonstration.

Several hundreds of protesters blocked the crossroads between Passeig de Gràcia and Provença, in the center of Barcelona.

ANC activists addressed a letter to the Commission president, Jean Claude Juncker. They called on the European Union to trigger Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty against Spain, which would suspend its voting rights in the EU Council.

CDR throw eggs to public prosecutor's office

Also this evening some 500 members of another pro-independence group, CDR, rallied in the center of Barcelona and threw eggs and paint to the HQ of Catalonia's home affairs department and the Spanish public prosecutor's seat in Barcelona.