Catalonia’s independence movement returns to the streets

“The situation in the coutry is getting worse” says Irina Estalella, a participant in the march.  “There are more people than in previous years, especially university students”, she adds. 

Every 11 of September, thousands of people take over the streets of Catalan cities to commemorate the fall of Barcelona to Bourbon troops in 1714, at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession. The defeat led to the abolition of Catalonia’s institutions and laws. Although the date marks a military defeat, it has since become an important symbol of Catalan identity and the independence movement.

Under the slogan “I am here, we are here, Independence”, around 45,000 people joined the march in Barcelona on Friday, according to local authorities, nearly double last year's turnout.The demonstration carried added symbolic weight this year, marking the 50th anniversary of the first major public protest in Catalonia after the end of Franco's dictatorship.

The Diada, as the day is known in Catalonia, was jointly called by several pro-independence organisations, including the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Òmnium Cultural and the Associació de Municipis per la Independència.  

ANC president Josep Vila urged citizens campaigning for better healthcare, education, language rights and social justice to join the demonstration, arguing all these struggles come from a lack of political and economic sovereignty. Òmnium Cultural's president, Xavier Antich, called for the movement to once again "generate cracks" in what he described as a false normality.  

Irina Estalella says growing anger is what is driving people onto the streets: “Ten years ago people were hopeful things would change. Now they are angry”. 

Political parties also used the occasion to criticise their opponents. Jordi Turull, secretary-general of Junts, accused Catalan President Salvador Illa of undermining the nation “by action or omission”. Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya criticised Illa over the absence of the Catalan flag during his recent trip to Ukraine, while Illa called for nothing to endanger coexistence in Catalonia.   

Not everyone marched in the same direction. A far-right counter-rally also took place, with banners such as “Catalan identity is Hispanic identity”, leading to clashes with independence supporters. The police separated the groups and eighteen people were detained during the confrontation, ten of them minors. They were released the following day. 

The Diada was also marked outside Catalonia, with government delegations organising events in around 20 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia, including in London, Berlin, Rome and Washington.