SPANISH IN MARCH FOR UNITY

AT least 350,000 people have rallied in Barcelona calling for Spain to remain united, as the Catalonia region heads towards declaring independence.

The enormous rally through the city saw marchers call for the wealthy northeast region to drop its bid for independence, with participants declaring themselves loyal to both Spain and Catalonia.

Organisers claimed 950,000 people took part, although Spanish police put the number at 350,000.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has made clear he is considering revoking Catalonia’s autonomous status.

Mr Rajoy said he was not ruling out anything “within the law’’ to stop Catalonia breaking away from Spain, which has not been gripped by such serious political turmoil since the death of the dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

Picture: AP Demonstrators challenge Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra regional police officers at the end of a march in downtown Barcelona, Spain, to protest the Catalonia government's push for secession from the rest of Spain.