Catalan president Quim Torra has called for "the whole nation" to adopt the idea of the Òmnium Cultural campaign centred on the forthcoming Catalan independence trial, a campaign which uses the slogan #joacuso - 'I accuse'. The reason for this, said Torra, is that "we don't have to defend ourselves against anything, and we do have to 'make accusations against the Spanish state in the trial'. Torra added that "everything depends on the response that this country is collectively capable of making to this trial."
Torra mentioned Jordi Cuixart, the jailed president of the pro-independence civil group Òmnium, and said that independence movement "doesn't have to defend itself against anything". In addition, Torra explained that he himself had been a president of Òmnium and that, therefore, it could have been him in jail.
The Catalan president reiterated that "the country we want will be free, critical and will confront injustices, without deviating from the path of democracy, justice and non-violence." In his speech, Torra declared that he will tell people "all over the world about the injustice that is being done against the prisoners and the right to self-determination. And I can go around the world bearing the flags of dialogue and civil rights, the cause of the Catalans is unbeatable and everyone understands it and gives us support."
Torra was speaking at the opening ceremony for the town of Cervera's year as Capital of Catalan Culture 2019, and in his speech he also celebrated culture and said that "it has to be defended."
A la ciutat on va néixer la Generalitat el MHP Quim Torra inaugura la Capital de la Cultura Catalana Cervera 2019. @QuimTorraiPla @LauraBorras @angelsblasco Llibertat, cultura i talent pic.twitter.com/eeIBnzD2dZ
— Capital Cultura Cat (@culturacatalana) 19 de gener de 2019
Translation:
In the city where the institution of Catalan government, the Generalitat, was born, president Quim Torra opens Cervera 2019, the Capital of Catalan Culture. Freedom, culture and talent— Capital Cultura Cat
The president added that if the verdict in the upcoming Supreme Court trial is anything other than absolution for the 12 accused pro-independence civil and political leaders, the required response to a trial directed "against democracy and the right to self-determination" will need to make use of those same ingredients: "democracy and the right to self-determination."