Catalonia Separatists' Amnesty Opposition Protests Intensify

Police Estimate 25,000 Participants in Protest

Photo by Guardian

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] As the Spanish government expressed its intention to pardon Catalan separatists, protests opposing this decision are spreading.

According to the British Guardian and others, on the 13th (local time), tens of thousands of protesters holding Spanish flags gathered at Plaza Col?n in the capital Madrid under the leadership of the right-wing party leadership. The police estimated that about 25,000 people attended the square that day.

Citizens opposing the pardon came out onto the streets after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S?nchez announced his intention to pardon the former leaders who were imprisoned for pushing Catalan independence in October 2017.

Prime Minister S?nchez stated, "We need to move from a troubled past to a better future," and said that a pardon is necessary for the Catalonia region and Spain to be together.

However, public opinion is more opposed to the pardon. According to a recent poll by the daily El Mundo, 61% of respondents said they do not agree with the pardon, while only 29.5% supported it.

Previously, the Spanish government and the Constitutional Court judged the 2017 referendum for Catalan independence as illegal and unconstitutional, but the Catalan autonomous government and nationalist camp insisted that the referendum was an exercise of political 'self-determination' and proceeded with it.

Based on the result of 90% in favor of independence (with a turnout of 42%), independence from Spain was declared at the end of October 2017.

In response, the Spanish government immediately dissolved the Catalan autonomous government and parliament and temporarily revoked Catalonia's autonomy. Nine leaders of the autonomous government were prosecuted for incitement and other charges and sentenced to prison terms.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.