2019–2020 Catalan protests

The 2019 Catalan Protests represent an ongoing protest movement triggered by the sentencing of nine Catalan independence leaders in the Trial of the Catalonia independence leaders, who were convicted of rebellion, sedition and other crimes against the Spanish state for their role in the organization of the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.

2019 Catalan protests
Part of the Catalan independence movement
Location of Catalonia (dark green) – in Europe (green & dark grey) – in Spain (green)
Date	14 October 2019 — ongoing (5 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
Location	Catalonia
Caused by	Sentencing of nine Catalan Independence leaders by the Spanish Supreme Court Catalan independence movement
Methods	Demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, riots, occupations, general strikes
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Kingdom of Spain The Crown Executive Government Cortes Generales Senate Judiciary Supreme Court National Court Attorney General High Court of Justice of Catalonia Constitutional Court Police forces: National Police Corps Civil Guard Mossos d'Esquadra (loyal to pro-Independence Catalan Government, but opposes violent protests) Supporters of Catalan Independence Committees for the Defense of the Republic Assemblea Nacional Catalana Òmnium Cultural Democratic Tsunami
Lead figures
King Felipe VI Pedro Sánchez Quim Torra Miquel Buch
Number
>525,000 protesters
Casualties and losses
207 police officers injured 35 protesters injured 128 protesters arrested

Background

Main article: 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis

The Spanish-governed region of Catalonia has a long established independence movement, which seeks to establish Catalonia as an independent and sovereign republic, thus breaking off from the Kingdom of Spain. A 2014 Catalan self-determination referendum resulted in a landslide victory for proponents of Catalan independence, which emboldened Catalan authorities to conduct the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, which they deemed would be binding and result in the independence of Catalonia.

The Spanish Government, then led by Mariano Rajoy, however, considered this an act of illegal separatism and appealed to the Spanish Supreme Court to block the referendum. The Supreme Court concurred and ordered Catalonia to cancel the referendum.

The autonomous Catalan government, however, refused and held the referendum despite the Supreme Court's binding order. The Spanish Government launched Operation Anubis, in which it attempted to forcefully stop the referendum from taking place by raiding polling stations, preventing the printing and publication of electoral materials, taking down websites advocating or providing information for the referendum and prosecuting its organizers. The Catalan government resisted the police operation and carried through with the referendum.

By the end of the polling day, the Catalan government had declared that the referendum had been successfully held and announced that over 90% of voters had voted for independence with a 43% voter turnout. Nine days later, citing the result of the referendum, the Parliament of Catalonia then voted for and issued the Catalan declaration of independence, which declared an independent Republic of Catalonia.

The declaration, however, was in direct contradiction to Article 115 Spanish Constitution, as well as the orders of the Spanish Supreme court and Spanish Government. For this reason, the Spanish government ended the region's autonomy and imposed direct rule over Catalonia, seizing control of the entirety of the autonomous government's institutions and infrastructure. The Spanish Government, along with the far-right Vox Party, then began to prosecute a case against several of the autonomous region's leaders, as well as the organizers of the referendum. They were brought before the Spanish Supreme Court in the Trial of The Catalonian independence leaders.

On 14 October 2019, nine of the Catalan independence leaders were sentenced to between nine and 13 years in prison, with another three being fined. The demonstrations erupted to protest the Supreme Court's ruling shortly thereafter.

The Blue Estelada, a common symbol of the Catalan independence movement used during the protests

The Red Estelada, a common symbol of the Catalan independence movement used during the protests

Protests begin

Protests against the sentencing of the Catalan independence leaders began on 14 October at Barcelona-El Prat Airport just hours after the Spanish Supreme Court announced its verdict. By the afternoon, thousands of protesters had already gathered at the airport, effectively forcing the airport to close. Clashes erupted between protesters and police forces after the latter charged at and attempted to disperse the former with police batons. The Catalan Government, led by the pro-independence Quim Torra called for both the amnesty of the convicted leaders and a renewed attempt to realize catalan independence.

Clashes erupted into open violence, as protesters reacted violently at police efforts to end the demonstration, with some demonstrators setting cars on fire and throwing jars of acid at police officers. The Catalan Law Enforcement agency Mossos d'Esquadra, which had previously been accused of aiding the independence movement, replied by firing tear gas at the demonstrators. The pro-independence speaker of the Catalan Parliament condemned the violent incidents and called for peaceful protests against the ruling. The protests grew larger, as more and more Catalans took to the streets. Some demonstrators attempted to storm buildings belonging to the Spanish Government and clashed with police forces. The Spanish Police announced that 51 protesters had been arrested.

Quim Torra addresses the protest

On 17 October, the pro-independence President of the Catalan Autonomous government, Quim Torra, called for an immediate halt to violence and disassociated himself from violent protesters, while at the same time calling for more peaceful protests. Nevertheless, the situation in Barcelona had evolved into open street battles between protesters and police, as both violent demonstrators attacked and provoked police forces, and police officers charged peaceful protesters for their proximity to violent ones.

Shortly thereafter, the Catalan President attempted to rally the crowd by stating that he will push for a new independence referendum as large scale protests continued for the fourth day.

On 18 October, Barcelona became paralyzed, as tens of thousands of peaceful protesters answered the Catalan President's call and rallied in support of the jailed independence leaders. The demonstration grew quickly, with the Barcelona police counting at least 525,000 protesters in the city.

General Strike

By late 18 October, protesters declared a general strike as five peaceful marches converged on Barcelona's city center, essentially bringing the city to a halt. Protesters further blocked the road on the French-Spanish border. At least 20 other major roads were also blocked. Clashes nevertheless took place, with masked protesters confronting riot police by throwing stones and setting alight rubbish bins. 25,000 university students joined in the protest movement by declaring a peaceful student strike.

As a result of the strike, trains and metro lines saw a reduction to 33% of their usual capacity, while buses saw a reduction to 25-50% of their usual capacity. The roads to the French border remained blocked and all roads leading into Barcelona also being cut. 190 flights in and out of the city had also been cancelled as a result of the strike. Spanish car manufacturer SEAT further announced a halt in the production of its Martorell plant and most of Barcelona's tourist sites had been closed and occupied by pro-independence demonstrators waving estelada independence flags and posters with pro-independence slogans.

By the end of the day, masked youths blocked the boulevard close to the city's police headquarters and hurled objects at riot policemen, which responded with non-lethal foam bullets, tear gas and smoke grenades. The clashes spread to cities outside Barcelona, with Spain's acting interior minister stating that 207 policemen had been inured since the start of the protests, while also noting that 128 people had been arrested by the nation's police forces. The Catalan Interior Minister, also a pro-independence politician, called the violence "unprecedented" and distanced himself from the violent events, instead calling for peaceful protests to continue.

A Spanish judged order the closure of an influential, but secretive Catalan protest group dubbed Democratic Tsunami. It had drawn thousands of followers and had directed its members to protest sites. Democratic Tsunami reacted to its ban by accusing the Spanish Authorities of censorship, stating that it had always been non-violent.