Thousands call to defend Catalan language in Sant Jordi grassroots demonstration

Barcelona was a constant of people walking down the streets carrying books and roses for their loved ones on Sant Jordi. But early evening, at 7:00 pm, thousands gathered at Plaça Universitat to defend the Catalan language in a grassroots demonstration.

The Sant Jordi per la Llengua platform organized its first on one of the most important days of the year for Catalan culture, which is also Catalonia's 'Day of Love.'

The grassroots platform has the support of over 240 different entities, including civil society groups Òmnium and the Catalan National Assembly, or the Tenants' Union. All of this was demonstrated under the slogan, 'For a future in Catalan, let's reclaim the popular Barcelona.'

Only in Barcelona, there were 2,000 demonstrators, according to local police, and 15,000 according to the organizers.

Aside from a rally in the Catalan capital, organizers also planned a smaller one in Girona, in the north.

At the demonstration, many carried roses, as, after all. it was Sant Jordi, but also the Catalan pro-independence flag estalades.

The rally began at Plaça Universitat and proceeded down Carrer Pelai and Via Laietana to reach Plaça Sant Jaume, where the Catalan government headquarters and the Barcelona City Hall buildings are located.

Organizers called for local authorities to help "newcomers" integrate and offer opportunities to learn Catalan.

"It's about channeling the collective outrage over the decline in the use of the language," platform spokesperson Adrià Font said when announcing the protest, and "over the attacks it faces in Catalonia, Valencia, Northern Catalonia [France], and the Balearic Islands."