Catalonia and Hong Kong have joined forces to call together for freedom and to oppose repression. A hundred people took part today in Barcelona in a demonstration of support for the protests in Hong Kong outside the Chinese consulate on avinguda del Tibidabo.
The rally, organised by ANC and Pícnic per la Repúblic, was held at the same time as another was taking place in Hong Kong in solidarity with Catalonia. Among others, it was attended by the president of the ANC, Elisenda Paluzie.
A large screen projected a live connection to the event in Hong Kong. Protesters shouted slogans like "Long live Hong Kong", "Long live Catalonia" and "Freedom".
Just metres away, another group held a banner reading, in Catalan: "Hong Kong is always part of China". At the end of the demonstration, some of the supporters of the Beijing regime faced up to some of the independence supporters, the only incidents seen.
The demonstrators sang a version of Glory to Hong Kong, which has been widely adopted as the anthem of the protests, with lyrics in Catalan. Paluzie thanked Hong Kong for its support of Catalonia. Speaking in English, with a live feed broadcasting her words to the demonstration on the other side of the world, she said: "you have taught us that we cannot give up and that we have to fight for our rights."
Via the link in the other direction, protesters from Hong Kong told those in Catalonia to "be strong" and saying that they "urge the end of the repression the Catalans are experiencing".