The Barcelona City Council, led by the socialist Jaume Collboni, has decided to impose a fine on the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) for the occupation of public space without a license in relation to the setting up of the stage in the city’s Plaza de España where the event concluded. demonstration of the Diada that the entity has organized every year since 2012, constituting, according to the council, a very serious violation of the ordinance of roads and public spaces.
The pro-independence entity has denounced that the Barcelona City Council “intends to restrict the right to assembly and demonstration” of the independence movement and has regretted that Collboni tries to “limit” one of the fundamental rights such as the right to demonstrate by “coercing” the Assembly with the economic sanction from the Urban Police.
The Assembly, in a statement, assures that it will not allow any attack in this sense and that in no case will it ask for permission to exercise a right and remembers that licenses have never been requested to set up the stage for the Diada demonstration and that ” “has used a formality to coerce the independence movement and limit the right to demonstrate.” “The fundamental right of assembly is not subject to prior authorization,” indicates the ANC, appealing to national and international regulations and jurisprudence.
The organization explains that “as has been done every year”, the demonstration was announced at the time and, during the preparations for the demonstration and the event, “pertinent meetings” were held with the City Council to discuss “technical aspects and share all the information and files on the operation of the mobilization and the event”.
The notification of the sanction from the City Council to the ANC indicates that if the entity recognizes its responsibility in the events, the sanction will be reduced by 20%, a reduction that will rise to 65% if the Assembly makes the voluntary payment, which would leave the amount to pay in 525.35 euros.
However, the Assembly, which claims that it does not receive public subsidies, has requested the file and the suspension of the period for allegations to exercise the legitimate right to defense. In this sense, the pro-independence entity announces that it will file an appeal before the corresponding authorities.
