Pro-independence protesters march in Barcelona against non-implementation of amnesty law
Hundreds denounce judicial 'coup' as law mainly benefits police officers one month after coming into force
Hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to protest the non-implementation of the amnesty law for independence leaders.
According to local police, 1,500 protesters took part in the demonstration.
The protest, organized by the pro-independence civic group ANC, denounced the "coup" by judges who are not applying the amnesty law.
One month after coming into force, the law has benefited 74 people, 46 of whom are members of the Spanish National Police.
The organization has claimed that the amnesty is benefiting police officers more quickly than activists, for whom the law was truly intended.
Under the slogan "Disobey the judges. Independence', the march traveled along Barcelona's Via Laietana to Plaça Sant Jaume, the headquarters of the Catalan government.
The demonstrators demanded that the government and pro-independence parties "confront" the Spanish government and force it to oppose "the maneuvers of a rebellious judiciary."
Singer Lluís Llach, president of the ANC, urged the pro-independence party Esquerra not to support Socialist leader Salvador Illa in his bid to become president of the Catalan government, advocating instead for the Junts+ candidate, Carles Puigdemont.
At the end of the protest, some demonstrators threw dry bread crusts at the doors of the Catalan government headquarters to denounce the government's stance on the pardons to police officers.
The protest comes a day after five pro-independence figures living in exile in Switzerland returned to Catalonia after their charges in the Tsunami Democràtic case were dropped.