Indy groups urge Catalans to take time off work, stand by Mas on court date

BarcelonaThe trial against former Catalan president Artur Mas, then-vice president Joana Ortega and ex-minister Irene Rigau for their involvement in the 2014 non-binding consultation is due to commence on Monday February 6th. Now that the key date has been set, Catalonia’s pro-independence grassroots groups want to express their support for the three defendants by staging an “exceptionally massive” rally to show that “all of us are on trial, not just three individuals”. To that effect, on Friday morning the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Òmnium and local government organisations (ACM and AMI) activated a new webpage ( www.9nsomtots.cat) where the general public may register for the rally. The system will also allow the organisers to estimate the number of buses which they will need to charter in order to drive participants to Barcelona.

At a press conference, the presidents of the groups (Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Cuixart, Miquel Buch and Neus Lloveras, who spoke through a video message) called on “all democrats to rally” in a peaceful, civic manner. Separatists took part in the non-binding independence vote on November 9 2014, but other political parties which do not support secession joined them as well, such as Unió, ICV, Podemos and some members of the PSC.

Given that the day and time (Monday at 08.15) are hardly ideal for a huge rally, the grassroots organisations urge anyone who wishes to march but must go to work to ask for time off so that they may be able to travel to the court house, be it at the High Court of Justice or the City of Justice. Still, the organisers emphasised that they do not wish to outdo themselves. Cuixart stated that “pro-independence supporters have already shown that we are able to stage massive demonstrations” and he also urged the Catalan people “to rally permanently” against the judicialisation of the independence process.

The grassroots groups are holding this new rally to show that the judicial path is “the wrong one”, as it pushes the Catalan issue into a “cul-de-sac”, said Sànchez. In the same vein, Cuixart slammed Spain’s PP authorities for boasting about the so-called “operation dialogue”, which he called “farcical gesturing”, and added that “our democracy has been taken over by Spain’s judiciary”.

The Òmnium leader demanded that February 6 becomes “a cry in support of our political representatives”. Speaking along the same lines, ACM’s Miquel Buch recalled how the mock referendum on November 9, 2014 was “the most important act of rebellion in the history of Catalonia”, which is now confirmed by the charges brought against its political leaders. “Back then, the President took a chance; and so should we all now”, he remarked.