MADRID: Tens of thousands of people gathered in Madrid and Barcelona on Saturday morning as Catalonia prepared to declare independence, many dressed in white and calling for talks to defuse Spain’s worst political crisis for decades. A woman shows her hands painted in white during a demonstration called by the "Let's talk" (Parlem, Hablemos) association for dialogue in Catalonia in Barcelona. In Barcelona, protesters chanted “let’s talk” in Catalan, while many carried signs criticising political leaders for not finding a diplomatic solution to the impasse. A woman with her mouth shut with a sticker reading "Let's talk" attends a demonstration called by the "Let's talk" (Parlem, Hablemos) association for dialogue in Catalonia at Cibeles square in Madrid. Some EU states are worried that talk of Catalan independence could fuel secessionist feelings in other parts of Europe.--REUTERS

Source: New Strait Times October 07, 2017 15:11 UTC