The center of Barcelona witnessed a demonstration on Sunday 29 October, of about 300,000 people, according to local police. The organization claims that there were more than 1.3 million people protesting to reject the declaration of independence in the Catalan parliament on Friday.
Organized by the Catalan Civil Society (CCS) platform, the demonstration was supported by the People's Party, Ciudadanos, and the Catalan socialists. In addition, far-right parties also attended the demonstration, such as Democracia Nacional, Plataforma per Catalunya and the fascist party Falange Española.
The vice president of CSS, Àlex Ramos, believes that the president of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy, will restore the institutions. He stated so in reference to the call for elections for next December 21. "I hope justice will do its job soon," said the former president of the European Parliament Josep Borrell.
The demonstrators carried mostly Spanish, Catalan and European flags. "We are all Catalonia" was the motto of the demonstration. However one of the most chanted songs were "Puigdemont, to prison", "long live Spain and Catalonia", "I am Spanish, Spanish, Spanish".
Despite the demonstration held this Sunday, the most successful unionist protest ever in the country was on October 8, which was one week after the referendum.
According to the local police, 350,000 people took part in the march and many people from other autonomies came under the organization of CCS, who facilitated busses to go to Barcelona.
Gràcies!
— Soc. Civil Catalana (@Societatcc) October 29, 2017
Gracias!#TotsSomCatalunya pic.twitter.com/TGGMLHFj5A
Attacks on journalists
During the anti-independence demonstration, there were some attacks against police, transport workers, officers, and journalists.
These attacks occurred only two days after the violent actions against the Catalan public radio by the far-right protesters.
Catalunya Ràdio presentarà denúncia pels danys causats amb les imatges enregistrades. Estem bé. Gràcies pel suport rebut!#DefensemCatRàdio pic.twitter.com/IjjzvNm6YC
— Saül Gordillo (@saulgordillo) October 27, 2017
A journalist from the online newspaper El Nacional was hurt by a demonstrator.
On the other hand, journalists from the Catalan public television were also insulted and a van from the channel was damaged too.
"Long live Franco", "long live Spain" and "Franco would put you right". These were some of the insults that a group of the far-right protesters shouted in front of the Palau de la Generalitat in Sant Jaume Square after the end of the demonstration organized by CSS.
El vídeo de la foto: pic.twitter.com/Ug6T8zShKW
— Bernat Castro (@Berlustinho) October 29, 2017
A worker from the railway company and some taxi drivers were attacked by some protesters in the city center. Last Friday some other attacks took place in a demonstration against the independence of Catalonia and two people ended up in the hospital, according to the emergency services.