Press had to be escorted out of a Spanish unity march in Sabadell for safety

Foreign press at a pro-Spanish unity rally near Barcelona had to be escorted out by the police for their own safety on Friday. In videos posted on Twitter, a journalist for the German news agency Ruptly explains upon seeing the video equipment, protesters placed Spanish flags in front of the camera and accused the reporters of belonging to Catalan public television station TV3. Despite stating that they were from “a foreign agency,” protesters “didn’t care” and began to “insult” the journalists and “tell them to leave.” The protesters became “aggressive,” making it necessary for “the police to get us out of there,” said reporter Júlia from Ruptly – “all the journalists.”

In a tweet just a few minutes later by the organizing entity Catalan Civil Society (SCC), the association applauded “the democratic spirit” of those who participated in the march. In the same post, the SCC also separates itself from “any uncivil behavior” from “extremist groups.”

The 700-strong march took place in the Catalan town of Sabadell, northwest of Barcelona. Also in attendance were Sabadell city councilors from the unionist Ciutadans and Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), and of right-wing conservative People’s Party (PP). Demonstrators at the march were demanding prison for deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, as well as the resignation of Sabadell mayor Maties Serracant. Protesters were additionally demanding that Serracant put the Spanish flag back up at the Sabadell Town Hall after it was removed following Catalan Parliament’s declaration of independence on October 27.