Thousands seek talks over vote for independence

BARCELONA, Spain — Thousands of people took to the streets for rallies in Madrid and Barcelona on Saturday as Catalan leaders appeared on the verge of announcing a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain, setting up a potential showdown with the national government.

One group of demonstrators in Madrid gathered in a central square to support a united Spain, with many waving Spanish flags. Elsewhere in Madrid, other demonstrators, mostly dressed in white and some carrying white flags, called for greater dialogue between the Catalan and Spanish governments — as did several thousand people in Barcelona, the Catalan capital.

“What they need is couples therapy!” said Fabian Vazquez, 48, a graphic designer, who stood under a large doveshaped cardboard display outside Barcelona City Hall.

The demonstrations Saturday followed a week of increasing polarization in Spain, spurred by an independence referendum last Sunday that was held across Catalonia, a region in northeast Spain.

The vote, which had been declared illegal by the Spanish constitutional court, devolved into violent clashes between Spanish national police, who attempted to stop it, and voters. Hundreds were injured, including police officers.

More than 40 percent of Catalan voters took part, with 90 percent casting ballots backing independence. That led the Catalan regional president, Carles Puigdemont, to announce that he had a mandate to unilaterally declare independence in the coming days.

In response, the constitutional court has barred the Catalan parliament from meeting Monday, in an apparent effort to stop regional lawmakers from debating the issue.

Another demonstration is set for Barcelona on Sunday to express direct opposition to the Catalan drive for independence.

Jorge Guerrero / AFP / Getty Images A demonstrator in Barcelona shows her hands painted white during a rally called by the Let’s Talk association for dialogue. Participants called for negotiations to defuse the crisis.