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Public protests have been seen around Catalonia after the latest, and most surprising, chapter of Spanish politics and justice. Thousands of people left their workplaces at 12pm, to protest against the imprisonment of the presidents of ANC (Catalan National Assembly), Jordi Sànchez, and of Òmnium, Jordi Cuixart. Many shut streets around their offices to call for their freedom.

In Barcelona's plaça Sant Jaume, the Catalan government and Barcelona City Council met in front of their buildings with the Taula per la Democràcia (Board for Democracy, made up of some 90 entities including ANC and Òmnium) and a number of other public figures to condemn the imprisonment of "the Jordis".

plaça sant jaume sergi alcazar

colau puigdemont alcazar

plaça sant jaume sergi

Sergi Alcàzar

Marta Lasalas

Translation: Image of the standstill in plaça Sant Jaume to call for the release of Cuixart and Sànchez.

There were also gatherings on Barcelona's passeig de Gràcia, shutting the road in a number of places, like the area by hotel Majestic.

passeig de gràcia carlota majestic

Carlota Camps

Various other places around the Catalan capital saw roads closed. The intersection of carrer Berlín and carrer Numància, for example, was closed for some 15 minutes, whilst employees of different companies shouted "freedom".

tall carrer berlín Cristina Coll

roberto lázaro tall berlín

Roberto Lázaro

Marc Bleda

The workers of the Meteorological Service of Catalonia forecast #freedom.

On the campuses of different universities, students and professors also gathered at midday. At the Autonomous University of Barcelona, for example, those gathered sang Els Segadors, the Catalan anthem, almost whispering for a quiet protest.

The anthem quietly, silent standstill

At the Diagonal campus of the University of Barcelona, a number of students and teaching staff also took to the streets, some of them even blocking the tram lines.

Meanwhile, at Blanquerna (part of Ramon Llull University), students and professors filled the area in front of their faculty's doors.

A large group of lawyers met in front of the courts in Lleida (western Catalonia) wearing their robes, after Abogacía por la Democracia (Lawyers for Democracy) called for gathering in front of the courts in the city and those in Balaguer, Cervera, La Seu d’Urgell, Solsona, Tremp and Vielha.

In fact, groups from all sectors joined the movement in the streets around Catalonia.

Standstill by workers, delegates and people affiliated to Metges de Catalunya [Doctors of Catalonia] to call for the release of the presidents

Standstill with #firefighters in #NouBarris

Towns and cities around Catalonia have come together against what they see as an injustice: that two people should go to prison for only defending their political ideals.

Some of the places to see rallies were Tarragona, capital of one of Catalonia's four provinces:

Castellolí, a tiny village some 50km from Barcelona:

Roses, a town popular with tourists in the north of Catalonia: 

Those in the streets around Catalonia included health workers who were able to take a few minutes off.

Even a number of deputies from the Spanish Congress joined in, like the leader of En Comú Podem (Together We Can), Xavier Domènech, and the leader of Compromís (Commitment), Joan Baldoví.