Belgian police calculate 45,000 people attended today's demonstration in Brussels, they have said on their official Twitter account.
Comptage officiel de la #manifestation des #catalans à #Bruxelles 45 000 manifestants
— PolBru (@zpz_polbru) 7 de desembre de 2017
Officiële telling van de #betoging van de #catalanen te #Brussel 45 000 betogers#RoadToBrussels #OmplimBrussel·les #roadtobrusselas #OmplimBruselles pic.twitter.com/S5IvYfL9xe
The turnout was such that they had to change the route before the march started.
Under the slogan "Europe, wake up! Help Catalonia", the demonstration has exceeded the expectations of the organisers, ANC (Catalan National Assembly) and Òmnium Cultural, who predicted 20,000 attendees.
In a festive protest atmosphere, demonstrators showed up bearing Catalan flags, estelada "starred" pro-independence flags, EU flags and yellow scarves and ribbon loops. The colour yellow has become a symbol of solidarity with the Catalan leaders imprisoned for taking part in the organisation of the 1st October referendum.