Catalan separatists rally in Barcelona to secede from Spain

Hundreds of thousands of separatist-minded Catalans swarmed Barcelona on Friday, giving enthusiastic backing to independence advocates who are hoping to elect a majority of secessionists in the regional parliamentary election this month. The campaign for the Sept. 27 ballot began on the same day as the Catalan National Day holiday, which separatists have used for years to rally hundreds of thousands to call for the creation of a new European nation.

I am willing to go to the end of this process if we have the majority of seats in parliament.

Artur Mas, Catalonia’s regional leader.

Barcelona police estimated that almost 1.4 million people participated but the Spanish Interior Ministry said the demonstration attracted between 520,000 and 550,000 protesters. Pro-independence parties need 68 seats in the 135-member parliament to push forward their agenda. Polls show them on track to win a slim majority. Independence backers say a win would give the lawmakers a mandate to start drafting a Catalan constitution and attempt secession negotiations with the central government.

(We) have our own language, a culture, customs. We share many things (with Spain), but there are other very different things. We feel like a nation and that’s why we want to be independent.

Protester Noelia Godoy, 25, a transportation company worker.

Politics catalan