The political demonstrations in Catalonia have been divided for some time into those that proclaim that Puigdemont is its president and those that demand that he go to prison. At yesterday’s, with the microphone in hand, the organization sweated the bacon from the top of the stage to convince and try to dominate the cry of “no to amnesty”. Or “not in my name”, in any case. It was in vain. At the mobilization organized by Societat Civil Catalana (SCC) in Barcelona to oppose a possible criminal oblivion law, “Puigdemont, in prison” won by a landslide. It was clearly the soundtrack of the entire tour of Passeig de Gràcia.
The wishes of the crowd for the president of the Spanish Government were not so drastic, but there were chants of “Sánchez traitor” or “Sánchez resignation”. “Pedro, the dictator”, read one of the banners for a protest with the support of the right-wing and ultra-right wing, the PP and Vox,
Thousands of people went to the mobilization. The number of attendees did not even come close to that of just six years ago, but it most likely exceeded SCC’s own expectations. Paseo de Gràcia was seen to be busy, but not full. The numerous banners set up by all kinds of organizations and political parties – the banner headed by Vox encouraged going against the amnesty and “the Sánchez coup” – encouraged some empty spaces to be drawn during the march.
Societat Civil Catalana assured that around 300,000 people attended. According to the Urban Guard, 50,000. It was the turn of the crowd to sing at the initiative of the Resistiré organization, from the Dúo Dinámico, at the end of the event, after listening to El cant de la senyera and the anthems of the EU and Spain. All in response to the possible amnesty. “Good morning, resistance”, Teresa Freixes, professor and lawyer specializing in Constitutional Law, had said minutes earlier.
Elda Mata, president of SCC, had argued the day before that a massive turnout at the demonstration would make it easier for Pedro Sánchez not to endorse an amnesty. It’s his opinion. Probably not that of the head of the central government, pending a negotiation, among others, with ERC and Junts, who for now demand a little more than amnesty if he wants to repeat as president of the Spanish government the next legislature Republicans mainly claim progress in the self-determination portfolio; the post-convergents focus their efforts on amnesty, but they have managed to take steps towards the recognition of Catalan in the European Union. In other words, another of the demonstrators’ responses was the cry of “elections”.
Álex Ramos, vice-president of SCC, criticized the Government for stating that the demonstration is “Catalanophobic”. He called the visit of Yolanda Díaz, on September 4, to Carles Puigdemont in Brussels “shameful” and emphasized that “nothing can be overcome with amnesty, because unilateralism is maintained”. “Amnesty is the first step towards self-determination”, he warned, before encouraging the PSOE and PP to ally. “Why do you want to agree with the Catalan right of Junts and not with the Spanish right?” asked the vice-president of the entity.
Mata continued in the same line. He asserted that the PP and the PSOE “are not enemies” and criticized that Sánchez has not agreed on an investiture with the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
The popular president was accompanied by, among others, four regional presidents of the Popular Party: that of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; that of the Board of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno; the one from the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, and the one from Aragon, Jorge Azcón. Alejandro Fernández, leader of the PP in Catalonia, who maintains a tug-of-war with Feijóo, was also by his side.
Ignacio Garriga, general secretary of Vox, was also there, but alongside Abascal. Also the spokesperson Pepa Millán and vice-presidents in regional governments of the far-right formation.
Feijóo, in statements to the media, denounced that the presidency of the Government of Spain “can be sold” or “transacted” based on a “reactionary” decision such as the amnesty for those accused of the process. Abascal regretted that the PSOE is considering amnesty in exchange for the investiture and warned that the possible law of criminal oblivion is the “biggest possible corruption”.
On the opposite ideological side, the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, spoke. “Nostalgic parties from the confrontation were manifested today in Barcelona”, he published in a tweet. Salvador Illa, leader of the PSC, regretted seeing Feijóo and Abascal “together” again to, as he said, generate fear and tension.
Also the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, criticized the demonstration: “When Feijóo, Ayuso and Abascal the only message they have for Catalonia is that of revenge, repression and hatred, they see their failure and that of their political projects , not only for Catalan citizens, but also for a majority of the State”.
