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NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with
power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams

Saturday, September 13, 2014

1,800,000 people demand independence for Catalonia


 
1st Scotland, Now Catalonia
  • As Scotland decides whether to break away from the UK, 1.8 million separatists in northeastern Spain stage mass protests across Catalonia to demand a secession vote deemed illegal by Spanish government.


Up to 1.8 million Catalans filled the streets of Barcelona on Thursday demanding the chance to hold a Scottish-style referendum on independence.

A week before Scotland goes to the polls on whether to break away from the United Kingdom, separatists in Spain’s northeastern region of Catalonia called for their own referendum as they celebrated their national day.
 
An official from Barcelona's nationalist-led city hall told reporters it estimated turnout for the demonstration at 1.8 million, but central government officials put the figure much lower.

The Spanish government delegation in Catalonia ‎calculated the figure at between 470,000 and 520,000, it said in a statement reports The Telegraph.

 
Catalans call for choice on split from Spain  






Crowds dressed in the red and yellow national colours of Catalonia filled the streets of the region’s capital to form a giant "V" stretching seven miles - the "V" sign stands for via (way), voluntat (will), votar (vote) and victoria (victory).

Balconies across the city were draped in the estelada – the yellow and red stripped flag topped by a star set in a blue triangle – and the crowds were interspersed by people climbing on others’ shoulders to form the traditional Catalan “human castles”.

Earlier in the day Artur Mas, the president of the semi-autonomous region, said that Scotland’s upcoming vote would boost his own region’s bid for independence.

Catalonia is battling to hold its own Scottish-style vote on independence on November 9 but is on a collision course with the Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy after Madrid branded such a referendum illegal.

"If the yes wins (in Scotland) then all of the European governments will have to accept the result, including Madrid. And I am convinced that the negotiations between Brussels, London and Edinburgh will start very quickly with the goal to keep Scotland in the European Union."

"The consequences for us are important. It raises the question that if the Scottish people have the right to decide then why not the Catalan people."

Mr Mas has vowed to pass a regional law that he says will allow him to push ahead with the "consultation" vote, but his efforts risk being thwarted by Spain's Constitutional Court which is expected to rule against it later this month.


Independence
Europe's biggest rally ever? Up to 2 million
Catalans march for independence.

Catalans hold Catalan independentist flags (Estelada) during
celebrations of Catalonia National Day (Diada) in Barcelona
on September 11, 2014.
(AFP Photo / Lluis Gene)
See more at RT News

Anti-independence Catalans hold Spanish flags as they take part in
a demonstration for the unity of Spain in the centre of Barcelona
during Catalonia National Day (Diada) on September 11, 2014.
(AFP Photo / Josep Lago)

A biker with an independentist flag rides through Barcelona
during Catalonia National Day (Diada) on September 11, 2014.
(AFP Photo / Lluis Gene)

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