The Spanish Government bans the Catalan Way towards independence in Valencia for “security reasons”

Madrid (ACN).- On Monday, two days before the peaceful event, the Sub-Delegation of the Spanish Executive in the Province of Castelló, decided to ban the human chain in its territory for “security reasons”. However, the Spanish Government had initially authorised the demonstration in the Valencian Country (also called Valencian Community). The ‘Catalan Way towards independence’ is a peaceful human chain that calls for Catalonia’s independence from Spain, and is inspired by the ‘Baltic Way’, which requested Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania’s independence from the USSR in 1989. The ‘Catalan Way’ will cross Catalonia from north to south, a distance of 400 kilometres, on the next 11^th September, which is Catalonia’s National Day. It is organised by a grass-root civil society organisation, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC). The ANC has not directly organised demonstrations in other Catalan-speaking territories, which were many years ago under Catalan rule, such as the Valencian Country or French Catalonia. However, local organisations promoting Catalan culture have also organised human chains in those territories, which will link with the ‘Catalan Way’. València’s human chain was organised by the Acció Cultural del País Valencià and was going to be between the border between Catalonia and the Valencian Country (where the Catalan Way ends) to the town of Vinarós. The Spanish Government has also banned two other demonstrations organised by anti-Catalan nationalism associations from Valencia.

Sources from the Spanish Home Affairs Ministry – which runs the Spanish Police Corps – have confirmed to the CNA that the Sub-Delegation of the Spanish Government in the Valencian Province of Castelló (next to Catalonia) have banned the human chain in its territory coinciding in time with the ‘Catalan Way towards independence’. According to the sources, the decision is due to “security reasons”, as it raised concerns regarding road traffic and the physical integrity of demonstrators.

The demonstration was to go along the N-340 road. However, the Sub-Delegation considered this itinerary and the alternatives proposed to be “dangerous”. The Spanish Government now fears that the demonstration could cause road traffic problems, and would be obstacle for the emergency services. In addition, it has been argued that demonstrators could be victim to aggression from people against Catalonia’s independence and their physical safety could not be guaranteed.

In August, the Acció Cultural del País Valencià (ACPV) had requested to occupy between 4pm and 6pm, on the 11^th September, the N-340 road between the border with Catalonia and Vinarós; a stretch of just 2 kilometres. The ACPV estimated that some 500 people could attend the demonstration. Initially, the Spanish Government had given it the green light, despite the opposition of the President of the Valencian Community Government, Alberto Fabra. Finally, the Sub-Delegation decided to ban the demonstration and told the organisers they do not have the permission to carry on with the initiative.

The ACPV accuses the Spanish Government of “censorship”

The ACPV announced on Monday afternoon they will move the demonstration from Vinarós to Alcanar, which is the first town in Catalonia after the border with the Autonomous Community of València. They will organise an alternative demonstration to protest against the “censorship” of the Spanish Government. Furthermore, the civil society organisation will file an appeal against the Sub-Delegation’s decision.