Protests across Catalonia to reject imprisonments

Several protests were held on Friday night shortly after the Spanish court sent five pro-independence leaders back to pre-trial jail. Barcelona’s Plaça Catalunya was one of the places where demonstrators gathered to reject Spain’s “repression.” The motto for the event, hosted by pro-independence civic organizations, was ‘United against repression’ and a manifesto read during the rally denounced that the Spanish government is ready to “violate” human, political and civic rights. The text also read that the incarcerated Catalan politicians are “honest and peaceful men and women.”

“The repressive wave against Catalans is enormous,” added the manifesto. According to the text, the judge’s decision to send incarcerated leaders to court is an act of “inflexible authoritarism” that “reminds us unavoidably of the darkest years of the 20th century Spain,” in an implicit reference to Francisco Franco’s dictatorship.