Over 400,000 people participated in the Catalan National Day demonstration in Barcelona, the biggest political demonstration in Europe since the COVID19 Pandemic, to defend fundamental rights in the face of authoritarian practices and judicial prosecution of the Catalan independence movement by the Spanish state.

The Catalan National Assembly surpassed a new record of participation at the Catalan National Day —la Diada— massive political demonstration, in the context of the COVID pandemic. This year’s 11th of September Catalan National Day demonstration has gathered over 400.000 participants, following COVID19 health recommendations.

The Catalan pro-independence movement, boosted by the civil society, has proven once more that it is willing to show up in force to defend fundamental rights such as self-determination, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, and to stand up against the Spanish state’s repression.

Right after the massive march, the main political event has taken place in front of Estació de França railway station, with the presence of the majority of civil society organizations, and representatives of the pro-independence political parties. Assemblea President Elisenda Paluzie has stressed that “We Catalans are a people, and have the right to self-determination, according to Article 1 of the Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. We want the full freedom of our people, political prisoners and exiles, of those 3,300 victims of repression. We are willing to fight every day till we reach our freedom. The only solution is independence.”

She also greeted the wide representation of the international community -over 20 countries and stateless nations- at the demonstration, which has become a tradition. “Representatives from Euskal Herria, Corsica, Sardinia, Galicia, Castile, the Canary Islands, Kurdistan, Kabylia, Estonia, Flanders, Belarus, Armenia and the Rif, thank you.”

Political prisoner for almost 4 years and President of Assemblea’s sister organization Omnium Cultural, Jordi Cuixart, has vindicated that the Catalan pro-independence movement has reached a turning point: “We wanted to achieve independence through democracy. We have realized that if we want to live in democracy we need independence!”

Catalan events all over the world

Throughout the day, Catalans all over the world have celebrated the National Day. Assemblea’s foreign branches have held events in England, Ecuador, Belgium, France (Paris and Nice), Mexico, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and the United States have announced their activities and events, between the 10th and 11th of September.

The Assemblea Foreign Assemblies work at a grassroots level with local organizations, NGOs, and political representatives to inform about the political situation in Catalonia. Assemblea’s foreign branches encourage anyone interested in contributing and working alongside the Catalan pro-independence cause abroad to get in touch with them and learn more or take part in these and other events.

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