Big march planned for 21st
Protest organizers call for people to “respond peacefully to provocation”
The march will be held under the slogan “Let’s overthrow the regime of 78”
Some 20 or so sovereigntist political organizations and associations have come together to form the 21 December committee, including: the Nationalist Youth of Catalonia (JNC), the Forge - revolutionary youth (la Forja - Jovent Revolucionari), the National Assembly of Catalonia (ANC), the CUP, Òmnium Cultural, the Comittees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR), Endavant, Young Democrats (JD), and Arran. This committee has called a demonstration for tomorrow at 6 pm that aims to pack Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona.
The concentration will take place under the slogan “Let’s overthrow the regime of 78” and is to start off from Jardinets de Gràcia and conclude at the crossroads between Passeig de Gràcia with Gran Vía. The point of the act is to demonstrate the widespread rejection of the “provocation” implied by the Spanish government holding its Council of Ministers in Barcelona, as well as to support other national, social and labour demands.
The call to protest was made public yesterday at a brief press conference in front of the building that is to host the ministers tomorrow. The activist Marta Torrecilla and the actor Manel Barceló read a manifesto condemning “the criminalization” of the independence movement on the part of political parties and the media in Madrid and the fact that they are creating a storm to justify the repression of the pro-independence movement.
“We have the right to take to the streets” said Barceló, emphasizing the organizers’ goal to mobilize people “to face the climate of fear and threats ”. The demonstration organizers were explicit in calling for another display of “peaceful resistance”.