Tension between protesters for and against schooling in Catalan

Two opposite demonstrations met on Sunday afternoon in central Barcelona with protesters for and against independence, leading to some tension.

A rally had been called by the organization 'Hablamos Español' (We speak in Spanish) to demand the end of the language system in Catalan schooling, which prioritizes the Catalan language in order to protect it has fewer speakers than Spanish.

Around 1,500 people joined the march, according to the local police, claiming for "a school free of nationalist indoctrination." They were expected to finish their event in Plaça Sant Jaume square, the seat of the Catalan government.

Yet some other 1,500 people were demonstrating in Plaça Sant Jaume defending the current system, "a public, quality, secular, inclusive school, in Catalan."

Because of that, the Catalan police decided to not let the ones against the school in Catalan enter the square to prevent both marches from mixing up.

Police cordon

Officers made a police cordon in the street leading to Plaça Sant Jaume but that did not avoid some tension between both groups, who chanted at each other. Yet the police claims that no major incidents were reported during the events.