The popular gathering registered in Barcelona on May 21, 1906 was, by far, the largest that had been achieved up to that time. The reason justified and predicted the success of the call.
It was the assault perpetrated by hundreds of soldiers, most of them in uniform; this action could not be distorted with the pretext that they were uncontrolled. Because of a political cartoon, they attacked and destroyed the editorial office of the humorous weekly that had published it, Cu-cut! , and ransacked the premises of the newspaper La Veu de Catalunya. It was the night of November 25, 1905.
Such a revenge, which did not deserve a small reprimand, but on the contrary, was followed by the promulgation of the Law of Jurisdictions, by which all crimes against the army and against the homeland came under military jurisdiction.
The effect generated was not what the power expected. A unitary movement was forged, Solidaritat Catalana, which took on an unsuspected dimension. They even joined parties that would never have done so under other circumstances.
A campaign was forged, under a collective and unanimous umbrella, in Congress to try to achieve the repeal of this very threatening regulation.
Deputies and senators tried to be convincing, speakers went all out. It was all in vain. On the way back, an unprecedented reception had been organized. The waiting point was the Paseo de Gràcia railway platform. Nicolás Salmerón and Albert Rusiñol were the visible leaders of the retinue returning from the capital.
The impressive crowd, more than 300,000 people representing the main official and private institutions of Catalonia, spilled towards the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and then went down Passeig Sant Joan until past the Arc de Triomf. The parade lasted more than four and a half hours.
Along the route, most of the balconies were decorated with Catalan flags and domassos. The trinket sellers made it August: they took out of their hands the commemorative medallions and even postcards with the arrival of the politicians already stamped.
What was most impressive was the slogan to march in silence. The “Long live Catalonia!” of a boy was instantly appeased. No incidents were reported.
