More than 12,000 people - according to local police - have called for the release of the seven pro-independence activists who were jailed this week after a controversial operation by Spain's Civil Guard against an alleged terrorism plot. The rally took place this Saturday afternoon in the Catalan city of Sabadell, organized by the Llibertat Detingudes 23S support platform for the prisoners, as well as Alerta Solidaria, the group of lawyers representing the jailed activists.
The mobilization - called under the slogan "Freedom for those arrested, the repression doesn't stop us" - began at six in the afternoon outside the Sabadell courthouse and marched to the city centre and town hall. It was led by family members and friends of the imprisoned activists, who chanted "You're not alone" and "We are all CDRs" - referring to the Committees to Defend the Republic pro-independence protest groups, in which the seven participated.
The protest was called by the support platform after a judge in Spain's National Audience court ruled on Thursday that seven of the original nine people arrested, accused of terrorism, were to be sent to preventative jail.
Representatives of Catalan civil society and politics were present at the rally, including representatives of major political parties JxCat and ERC. The CUP party's Eulàlia Reguant, and the vice-president of the Òmnium cultural group, Marcel Mauri, also attended the march.
Translation:
"JxCat deputies @Aurora_Madaula and @salwa_elgharbi attended the Sabadell rally in support of those arrested on 23 September. Catalan people are not violent and we reaffirm the civic, peaceful and democratic character of our demands #WeWon'tGiveUp"- JxCat (Together for Catalonia party)
"We are at the protest to support the 7 people imprisoned by the National Audience court. They want us upset and defeated, and we will demonstrate that we remain on our feet!"- ANC (Catalan National Assembly)
"We want you free! Today in Sabadell with those Arrested on 23 Sept and their families. We need to support one another in the face of so much repression. You have to stand up to it." - Action for the Republic
"We are in Sabadell in the demonstration to support the arrested on Sept 23 to denounce this attempt to criminalize the independence movement. We demand the freedom of all those arrested. The repression won't stop us!" - Òmnium Cultural
"Awesome manifestation in Sabadell, today the capital of free Catalonia."A call to all citizens not to fail and to continue on our feet." Against repression and the reduction of rights and freedoms, constant mobilization, street and organization #self-determination." - xavier antich
On the march, two large banners were hung from buildings, one with the slogan of the march "Freedom from those arrested, the repression doesn't stop us" and a second with the phrase "You are not alone. Freedom".
Once the rally reached the city's Plaça Doctor Robert, location of the town hall, speeches were made to close the event.
Spanish nationalist insults
Along the length of the demonstration a small group of Spanish nationalists yelled abuse at the protesters.
"Provocateurs insult and harass the Sabadell protesters. More than 12,000 people filled the streets with solidarity in support of the CDRs abducted in Madrid" — Joan Mangues