Huge marches in Barcelona and other Catalan cities yesterday—Catalonia’s ‘national day’—showed a continued demand for independence from Spain, but the pro-secession groups that won a majority last year in the province’s legislature are split on many key issues.
September 11th is celebrated in Catalonia as Diada, and marks, ironically, the defeat of Catalan independence at the hands of Spain’s Philip V in 1714. It’s been marked by larger and larger marches in Barcelona, Tarragona, and other cities since 2012. This year’s marches were as large as 800,000 people.
Catalonia gained a measure of autonomy within Spain in the 1970s after the death of Franco, but it hasn’t gone far enough for many Catalans. The various pro-independence parties won a majority for the first time last year, but can’t agree on a strategy for referendum or secession.
Still, many of the marchers expressed a hope that this would be their last Diada under Spanish rule. For a more detailed report from TheLocal.es, click HERE
