Catalan independents mark the sixth anniversary of the referendum

Political movements for Catalan independence gathered around 4,500 people this Sunday in Barcelona to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the unilateral referendum on October 1.

The demonstration was called at Plaza Catalunya by several pro-independence movements such as the National Assembly of Catalonia (ANC), the Cultural Union, the Intersyndical Union, the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI) and the Council for the Republic.

The anniversary of the referendum coincides with negotiations to form a government in Spain and days after the independence party approved a resolution in parliament that would put the inauguration of socialist leader Pedro Sánchez in a position to celebrate the referendum.

ANC President Dolors Feliu criticized the fact that the agenda of pro-independence parties talks more about amnesty than about “materializing Catalan independence,” referring to the insistence on securing pardons for independence leaders accused of this crime. facilitating a referendum not recognized by the Spanish Constitution.

“Any amnesty must be linked to the recognition of the freedom of Catalonia, the freedom to exercise the right to self-determination and independence. There is no other way,” Feliu said in one of the biggest cheers.

Òmniumcultural President Xavier Antic defends the amnesty of the referendum process as a way of “recognizing by the state that voting is not a crime.”

Antic’s advocacy for amnesty was met with boos of dissent from numerous participants, followed by chants of “Independence.”

Political speeches were interspersed with slogans such as “Puigdemont, our president”, “October 1 – no oblivion, no forgiveness.”