Catalans staged a massive choreographed demonstration in central Barcelona yesterday, to mark both their annual national day and the beginning of an election campaign which they hope will lead to independence from Spain.
September 11th is the Diada, when Catalans traditionally celebrate their culture. This year, however, the date had added significance as it will be followed on September 27th by a regional election which nationalists are treating as a plebiscite on independence.
If a pro-independence coalition wins a majority of seats in the vote, it plans to push ahead with a process that it says would see an independent Catalan state by 2017, despite the opposition of the Spanish government.
“We feel angry and impotent in the face of the Spanish state, it’s like we’re living under a dictatorship,” said Juan Roura (55), an engineer who was carrying a large Catalan independence flag to the celebrations.
“We want to win a majority so that we can call on the Spanish government to give us independence and let us be a free country.” Mr Roura joined other like-minded Catalans in filling a 5km stretch of the Meridiana, a street running through Barcelona, in a meticulously planned event.
Those taking part held up colour co-ordinated paper arrows to signify their movement towards self-determination. Crowds cheered as a group of athletes jogged with a large yellow arrow from one end of the Meridiana to the other.
“The relationship between Spain and Catalonia is a stressful one,” said Paula Ordoñez, a student, who was also taking part. “We think we can look after ourselves. We have a culture, literature and a language. So it’s important for us to separate ourselves from the bad stuff.”
Nearly half a million people registered to participate in filling the Meridiana, although organisers said many more took part.
This is the fourth year in succession that pro-independence Catalans have staged a major demonstration on September 11 and during that time tensions between Madrid and Barcelona have rarely slackened.
The nationalist leader of the Catalan region, Artur Mas, called the election early on the grounds that the Spanish state would not allow him to call a Scotland-style referendum on independence.
“If all your attempts [to vote on secession] have been blocked, then you have to do something,” Mr Mas said, as yesterday’s events were getting under way. “The only legal tool I have in my hands is to call elections. We have said we will use legal procedures and this is what we are doing because we are serious.”
His pro-independence electoral ticket, Junts pel Sí (or Together for Yes), is a broad alliance of politicians of different stripes and civic leaders. A poll published on Thursday by the CIS state research centre showed the coalition narrowly clinching a majority of seats in the regional parliament, but only if it receives the backing of the CUP, a leftist pro-independence party.
The Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy has promised to block any efforts by Catalonia to break away from Spain after the election. Yesterday it accused Junts pel Sí of hijacking the Diada festivities for political ends, given that it was the first day of the election campaign.
“September 11th used to be a celebration for all Catalans,” said the deputy prime minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría. “Today it has been turned into an electoral event, mainly for Mr Mas.”
The Catalan leader did not participate in the street demonstration, although many other nationalist public figures did.
Among those taking part was Barcelona soccer player Gerard Piqué, an outspoken supporter of Catalan independence.
