A man waves an "Estelada" (pro-independence Catalan flag) during celebrations of Catalonia's National Day in Barcelona on September 11, 2015. (AFP)
Barcelona:
At least half a million Catalans demanding independence thronged the streets of Barcelona on Friday, ahead of regional polls billed as an indirect vote on breaking away from Spain.
Waving red and yellow Catalan flags, they marched down a major road into the city, yelling "Independence!" while some formed human pyramids - a Catalan folk tradition.
The demonstration took place on Catalan national day at a time of high political tension, with police and the central government giving very different turnout figures.
City police said 1.4 million people had joined the march through the beachfront city, capital of the Catalonia region which has 7.5 million inhabitants.
But Spain's central government put the turnout at just over half a million, saying between 520,000 and 550,000 people took part.
The show of force comes just three months ahead of a general election in Spain, the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy.
Polls this week showed pro-secession candidates could win a majority of seats in the Catalan parliament when the region votes on September 27.
If they win, Catalan president Artur Mas has vowed to push through an 18-month roadmap to secession for the region, which accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy.
"Once the people have spoken through their vote, we will all take on board what the majority decides," said Mas, a conservative who is campaigning in an alliance with left-wing nationalists.
Following Scotland, Canada
Spain's conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fiercely opposes independence and a plebiscite. He says all Spaniards reserve the right to vote on issues of sovereignty.
Mas is portraying this month's election as a de facto vote on independence, like the one in Scotland last year, and in Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec in 1980 and 1995. Those votes all resulted in a "no" to secession.
"We would have preferred a referendum like in Quebec and Scotland, but the only course left to us was to organise these elections," Mas said on Friday.
Polls show a majority of Catalans are in favour of a referendum but they are almost evenly divided on independence.
Catalan nationalism has intensified in Spain's economic downturn. Separatists say they pay an unfair level of taxes to Madrid compared to the funding Catalonia receives.
"No matter much they tell us we cannot leave, we will push ahead," said demonstrator Vida Domenech, 38, wrapped in a red, yellow and blue pro-independence flag.
"We cannot let ourselves be the only region that pays so much and receives so little."
Opponents of Catalan independence are divided.
New left-wing anti-austerity party Podemos favours a referendum while the main opposition Socialists promise a constitutional federal reform which would grant Catalonia more powers.
Rajoy refuses to negotiate on independence and has not publicly discussed possible constitutional reforms.
Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria accused Mas of turning the traditional Catalan national day into an "electoral event".
British Prime Minister David Cameron warned last week that Catalonia would drop out of the European Union if it seceded from Spain.
Mas has disputed that and said on Friday that the prospect of creating a new state in Europe was nothing new.
"Thirteen countries have joined the EU in little more than a decade. Of those, seven were not independent states 25 years ago," he said.
'Waiting for centuries'
Many Catalans insist that the separatists do not speak for them, however.
"I am fed up of this business," said Joan Madorell, a 51-year-old architect in Barcelona.
Demonstrators carried a big symbolic yellow arrow along the five-kilometre (three-mile) route.
The elaborate multi-coloured display ended with speeches and a band playing the "Catalan rumba", a traditional folk tune.
"I am looking forward to independence with special enthusiasm," said Joaquim Batlle, 91, who spent time in jail for his defence of Catalan nationalism during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco which tried to suppress Catalan identity.
"We have been waiting for it for centuries and I believe the moment has come," said Batlle, who walked with the aid of a crutch.
Waving red and yellow Catalan flags, they marched down a major road into the city, yelling "Independence!" while some formed human pyramids - a Catalan folk tradition.
The demonstration took place on Catalan national day at a time of high political tension, with police and the central government giving very different turnout figures.
City police said 1.4 million people had joined the march through the beachfront city, capital of the Catalonia region which has 7.5 million inhabitants.
But Spain's central government put the turnout at just over half a million, saying between 520,000 and 550,000 people took part.
The show of force comes just three months ahead of a general election in Spain, the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy.
Polls this week showed pro-secession candidates could win a majority of seats in the Catalan parliament when the region votes on September 27.
If they win, Catalan president Artur Mas has vowed to push through an 18-month roadmap to secession for the region, which accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy.
"Once the people have spoken through their vote, we will all take on board what the majority decides," said Mas, a conservative who is campaigning in an alliance with left-wing nationalists.
Following Scotland, Canada
Spain's conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fiercely opposes independence and a plebiscite. He says all Spaniards reserve the right to vote on issues of sovereignty.
Mas is portraying this month's election as a de facto vote on independence, like the one in Scotland last year, and in Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec in 1980 and 1995. Those votes all resulted in a "no" to secession.
"We would have preferred a referendum like in Quebec and Scotland, but the only course left to us was to organise these elections," Mas said on Friday.
Polls show a majority of Catalans are in favour of a referendum but they are almost evenly divided on independence.
Catalan nationalism has intensified in Spain's economic downturn. Separatists say they pay an unfair level of taxes to Madrid compared to the funding Catalonia receives.
"No matter much they tell us we cannot leave, we will push ahead," said demonstrator Vida Domenech, 38, wrapped in a red, yellow and blue pro-independence flag.
"We cannot let ourselves be the only region that pays so much and receives so little."
Opponents of Catalan independence are divided.
New left-wing anti-austerity party Podemos favours a referendum while the main opposition Socialists promise a constitutional federal reform which would grant Catalonia more powers.
Rajoy refuses to negotiate on independence and has not publicly discussed possible constitutional reforms.
Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria accused Mas of turning the traditional Catalan national day into an "electoral event".
British Prime Minister David Cameron warned last week that Catalonia would drop out of the European Union if it seceded from Spain.
Mas has disputed that and said on Friday that the prospect of creating a new state in Europe was nothing new.
"Thirteen countries have joined the EU in little more than a decade. Of those, seven were not independent states 25 years ago," he said.
'Waiting for centuries'
Many Catalans insist that the separatists do not speak for them, however.
"I am fed up of this business," said Joan Madorell, a 51-year-old architect in Barcelona.
Demonstrators carried a big symbolic yellow arrow along the five-kilometre (three-mile) route.
The elaborate multi-coloured display ended with speeches and a band playing the "Catalan rumba", a traditional folk tune.
"I am looking forward to independence with special enthusiasm," said Joaquim Batlle, 91, who spent time in jail for his defence of Catalan nationalism during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco which tried to suppress Catalan identity.
"We have been waiting for it for centuries and I believe the moment has come," said Batlle, who walked with the aid of a crutch.
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