Hundreds of thousands of independence supporters march through city after eight former Catalan government members jailed by Spanish high courtHundreds of thousands of Catalan independence supporters lined one of Barcelona’s main avenues on Saturday to demand the release of separatist leaders held in prison for their roles in the banned independence referendum. Wearing yellow ribbons to signify support, they filled the length of the Carrer de la Marina, which runs from the beach to Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia church, while the jailed leaders’ families made speeches. The protesters carried photos with the faces of those in prison, waved the red-and-yellow striped Catalan independence flag and shone lights from their phones. The Spanish high court has jailed eight former Catalan government members, along with the leaders of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, while investigations continue. On Saturday, the ERC said its leader, jailed former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, would be its candidate in December and he would campaign from behind bars.

Source: The Guardian November 11, 2017 20:48 UTC