Solidarity with Catalonia

The solidarity rally in Toronto for Catalonia was one of dozens held around the world after a Spanish court took a hardline and sentenced nine pro-independence Catalan leaders to long prison terms. 

In Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, tens of thousands have been on streets and a general strike was called on October 18, marking the end of a week of protests following the ruling of Spain’s Supreme Court that brought a half million people to the streets.

The court sentenced nine Catalan pro-independence leaders to jail for sedition for up to 13 years. Spanish authorities also renewed their demand for the arrest of former Catalan leader, Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium. 

Their ‘crime’ was holding an independence referendum in October 2017 in defiance of the Spanish state, But, the true crime was the repression unleashed by Spain against the referendum that left over 1,000 people injured when Catalans attempted to vote in 2017.

At the heart of the mobilisation are the Catalan youth and police have brutally attacked them with clubs and tear gas. The political prisoners should be released now. Mass protests and strikes are the only way to win that demand.