Albert Rivera and Inés Arrimadas have got stuck into the campaign to remove yellow loops from public spaces. At midday this Wednesday, a month after the launch of their party's campaign, the leaders of Ciutadans walked around Alella, a large village just north of Barcelona, collecting up the symbols of support for the imprisoned pro-independence leaders. They were well-prepared, with rubbish bags at the ready.
From Alella, Rivera wanted to express support for Lidia, the woman attacked in Barcelona's Ciutadella park this weekend. Ahead of a rally in support of her this afternoon, she accused pro-independence leaders of "mocking" her. He called on "all decent Catalans, democrats" to attend this afternoon's demonstration. He also justified this morning's action: "What we've done here is clean up public space and we'll continue doing so until Mr Pedro Sánchez stops paying Torra and Puigdemont's mortgages and he reacts".
He also called on Catalan president Torra to "rectify" matters, accusing him of "causing the rupture to social harmony". "Catalonia is as much ours as the independence supporters'", he said, "and more than that, the last election was won by Inés Arrimadas".
Whilst in Alella, they were rebuked by local residents, something they attributed to the "tension" caused by the independence movement.
Photo: Sergi Alcàzar
In an interview with Catalunya Ràdio this Wednesday morning, Arrimadas said that "the people shouldn't be removing yellow loops", but that "the public administration should do it". However, "as they aren't doing so, we can't stay quiet", she continued. She also criticised the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police force, accusing them of being "Torra's political police".
Photo: Sergi Alcàzar