Extreme right and pro-unity groups commemorate Spain's National Day

Around a hundred people gathered in Montjuïc for a demonstration called by Democracia Nacional and other extreme right-wing groups to commemorate Spain's National Day on Wednesday, October 12. 

Escorted by a strong police presence, the attendees met at 11 am in Plaça Espanya and headed toward Plaça Sant Jordi, where the political event was held.

Chants against the Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and the Catalan independence movement were made.

Many of the attendees wore Franco flags and Nazi symbols.

Although the event took place without incident, the Mossos identified a man carrying a Nazi flag.

During the event, Pedro Chaparro, the leader of Democracia Nacional who was imprisoned for the attack on the Blanquera Catalan cultural center in Madrid in 2013, was remembered.

Political leaders march for unity of Spain

At a separate demonstration, around 2,200 people, according to local police, marched in Barcelona on Wednesday to commemorate Spain's National Day under the slogan 'More Spain and more Spanish.' 

Organized by civic group Catalunya Suma, leaders of the political parties Vox, Ciudadanos and the People's Party led the march behind the main banner at the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia with Carrer de Provença. 

The demonstration marched down to Plaça Catalunya in the center of Barcelona, where a manifesto signed by twenty organizations was read. 

As every year, there were also Latin American folklore groups present, a lot of music throughout the demonstration, and chants in favor of the unity of Spain, as well as many Spanish flags.

One of the attendees, Cristina de Pelegrí, told the Catalan News Agency that she came to celebrate Spain's national holiday. "It's a party, I don't think it's a vindictive demonstration of anything, I come to enjoy Spain Day," she said.

The fringe far-right party Democracia Nacional also held a demonstration in Montjuïc to celebrate the day.

No holiday for Catalan government

The pro-independence Catalan government met on Wednesday despite it being a bank holiday. The cabinet now led solo by Esquerra Republicana named seven new ministers this week after the coalition with Junts per Catalunya collapsed. 

Catalonia's minister for equality and feminism called the colonization of America "one of the biggest genocides in history" in two messages on Twitter, emphasizing that on October 12 "there is nothing to celebrate." 

The department head recalled that the colonization of America caused "systematic violations" of the human rights of millions of people. 

Leader of the Socialists in Catalonia, Salvador Illa, regretted that the Catalan government held a work meeting on Wednesday.

"They always want to point out that they stand out from the day," he said on radio station Onda Cero, adding that the pro-independence leaders try to create a feeling that celebrating October 12 is "celebrating belonging to Spain" which, to him, "seems ridiculous."

Regardless, he acknowledges that the new cabinet, named only this week, has "a lot of work," warning that if there's no new spending plan in place by January 1 next year, it will be "a serious irresponsibility."