Nazi-saluting fascists clash with police in Catalonia
Franco chants as demo against independence turns violent
SCUFFLES broke out in Catalonia yesterday as thousands of unionist protesters demanded a crackdown on the region’s bid for independence.
Less than 48 hours after politicians declared the region was breaking away from Spain, tensions boiled over and extremists clashed with police.
While most of the near millionstrong crowd were peaceful, some performed Nazi salutes and chanted in support of former fascist dictator General Franco.
As Catalonia’s president defied Madrid’s plan to take control of the area, crowds with Spanish flags marched through Barcelona demanding his imprisonment and declaring ‘Viva Espana!’.
Some of the crowd attacked proindependence supporters and journalists, prompting local residents to say they were ‘afraid of what was to come’. In return, nationalist rivals pledged that the attempt to take direct control was a ‘coup ’ that would be resisted.
Fears of further unrest led the Foreign Office to warn Britons visiting Catalonia to take care as demonstrations ‘can escalate’.
In an unprecedented attempt to quash the nationalists, Madrid announced a range of sweeping powers to enforce direct rule over the region on Friday, as well as calling an election for December.
And in a blow to separatist leaders, new opinion polls have shown that they could lose the ballot. The survey, published by the El Mundo newspaper, found parties backing independence would take 42.5 per cent of the vote, with unity supporters on 43.4 per cent. Spain’s foreign minister Alfonso Dastis yesterday opened the door for Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and his pro- separatist party to take part but warned that he could be jailed first. ‘If he is not put in jail at that time I think he is not ineligible,’ Mr Dastis said. Prosecutors have said they will file ‘ rebellion’ charges against the leader and his ministers which could result in 30year jail terms. Mr Puigdemont was last night hiding out in his former family home about an hour-and-a-half from Barcelona. However he is expected to return to work in Barcelona today A Belgian immigration minister yesterday suggested Mr Puigdemont could apply for asylum there. He was later rebuked by Belgian Prime Minister. Meanwhile many fear Madrid’s move to take control of official buildings in the region could lead to further confrontation. After thousands of people took to streets of Barcelona to celebrate its independence declara- tion on Friday night, local police said that 300,000 protesters took part in yesterday’s unity rally.
Its organisers, however, dismissed the estimate and said 1.1million had attended the event.
Ines Arrimadas, of the Citizens party, said: ‘ Today the silent majority of Catalans are once again taking to the street to show that the majority of Catalans feel Catalan, Spanish and European.’
Insurance worker Susanna Delgado, 44, who has lived in Barcelona all her life, said: ‘I am afraid of what will happen. We had to do something. We cannot be silent.’
Despite the huge turnout for yesterday’s rally, independence supporters were given a boost last night when Catalan football club Girona beat European champions Real Madrid 2-1.