Catalan administration workers demand leaders’ release

Public workers of the Catalan administration have protested against the imprisonment of Catalan leaders that are currently behind bars in Madrid. The demonstration was called by the Assembly in Defense of Catalan Institutions, of Catalan ministries. In total, hundreds of workers gathered to demand the release of the Catalan leaders, as well as the withdrawal of the arrest warrant against Carles Puigdemont and the Catalan ministers that are currently in Brussels.

In Girona, in northern Catalonia, about 300 workers demonstrated to demand the "immediate release” of what they consider to be “political prisoners”. At noon, they placed four empty chairs with the images of the Catalan leaders that are currently in jail in Madrid, Oriol Junqueras, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Cuixart. Their images were accompanied by yellow ribbons, which have become a symbol to demand the release of the jailed Catalan political and social leaders.

During the demonstration, they also read a manifesto and demanded the withdrawal of the arrest warrant against Carles Puigdemont and the ministers that are currently in Belgium. They also demand the suspension of the legal proceeding against the Catalan ministers, deposed by the Spanish government, and against the president of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell.

In another demonstration in Barcelona, the workers of the Catalan administration gathered in front of the Catalan government headquarters and formed a yellow ribbon, using yellow cards. According to the organizers, more than 200 people attended the rally under the motto “Freedom for political prisoners.” The demonstrators chanted the Catalan anthem, ‘Els Segadors’, before leaving the gathering.