200,000 take to the streets of Barcelona demanding release of pro-independence leaders

Once more people took the streets all around Catalonia massively. On Tuesday evening 200,000 protesters rallied in the country’s main cities, according to the local police. Yet this time the main march, in central Barcelona, was different from the protest. Two key people will be missing: Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart, the leaders of the main pro-independence civil organizations in the country, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Òmnium Cultural.

In fact, the aim of the demonstration today is to protest against the judge’s decision to send both of them to prison less than 24 hours ago. They are being investigated for sedition. This unprecedented measure to any leader of the Catalan independence movement today has sparked protests all around the country. The main one was held in central Barcelona, with people holding candles. Girona, Lleida and Tarragona also hosted marches to support Sànchez and Cuixart.