The major "day of reflection" activities which Catalan protest platform Democratic Tsunami had called for on Spain's election eve got underway in the Catalan capital with a series of concerts in Barcelona's Plaça de la Universitat, which filled the city thoroughfare of Gran Via. Many well-known Catalan artists played before thousands of people in a festive atmosphere, while chants were heard calling for Catalan independence and demanding the release of the Catalan political prisoners.
The concerts - controversial in the current context of protest and repression in Catalonia because Spain's election eve is reserved as a day of reflection - began around 4pm, and from the start, they struck a chord with their audience. Among the participating artists were Els Amics de les Arts, Elèctrica Dharma, Gertrudis, Els Catarres, Miquel del Roig, Músics per la Llibertat and Pepet i Marieta.
Sergi Alcàzar
An hour before the start of the event, the Tsunami platform itself invited those who would like to participate in the Músics per la Llibertat concert to be part of a dress rehearsal. In response to this call on social media, more than 500 people arrived to listen to the hundred singers and musicians, due to play throughout the evening, give rehearsal performances of well-known Catalan songs L'Estaca, Els Segadors or El Cant de la Senyera.
A Barcelona a les 15h @MusicsLlibertat comença l'assaig de la seva actuació a Gran Via davant la UB. 🌊🎶
— Tsunami Democràtic (@tsunami_dem) November 9, 2019
Animem tothom a acompanyar-los i donar-los suport en tot moment.
Si sou músics, porteu el vostre instrument i uniu-vos-hi!
El 9N, fem-los reflexionar!#TsunamiDemocràtic 🌊 pic.twitter.com/1ojaNYQU2y
Hours earlier, Tsunami had also switched the location of the concerts from the original site in Plaça Catalunya. The reason given was to "protect the stage and space" of the concert, on a weekend when thousands of extra Spanish riot police have been brought to Barcelona.
Núria Casas
Meanwhile, in around three hundred municipalities all across Catalonia, the pro-independence Tsunami platform, dedicated to non-violent actions and civil disobedience, also announced numerous events and actions which had been organized by local groups on Spain's pre-election "day of reflection".
Sergi Alcàzar
Today's day of protests and reflections is also being used by the Tsunami group to implement its mobile application, which until now had not been used. This is a key test for the organizartion given that it has called major protest actions for next week, specifically from Monday to Wednesday.