The suspension of the declaration of independence by the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, hit like a bucket of ice water at the rally of independence supporters in passeig Lluís Companys near the Parliament.
The applause of just minutes before gave way to long faces. There were some isolated demonstrations by unhappy people, but the majority chose to leave. There was no celebration, nor declarations of support for the president.
The shouts of independence that dominated until ten minutes earlier were stopped dead. The people, in small groups, whilst leaving towards the metro, discussed the president's move. Many of them seemed very frustrated. The most optimistic foresee a conflict that turns eternal; some already giving it up for lost. The only moment which saw a revival of enthusiasm was when the tractors left, blowing their horns and shouting independence slogans.
About a fifth of the people remained for the responses by the other party leaders, booing those speeches by pro-union politicians, but showing no great enthusiasm. The elogies by PP (Popular Party) leader Xavier García Albiol to the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard and references to the "Spanish nation" as the "oldest in the world" were taken as genuine provocations and caused waves of anger.
La suspensió de la declaració d'independència ha caigut com una galleda d'aigua freda a la concentració pic.twitter.com/VcXQd4OSEy
— ElNacional .cat (@elnacionalcat) 10 d’octubre de 2017
The tractors, which had parked on the avenue at the start of the afternoon, also started to leave after Puigdemont's speech ended.
Els tractors també marxen del Passeig Lluís Companys. https://t.co/7fXzwlH5b2 pic.twitter.com/7u9rYXwhIb
— ElNacional .cat (@elnacionalcat) 10 d’octubre de 2017