The stark warning came days before Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the region's parliament, on Tuesday, when he could unilaterally declare independence. "We feel both Catalan and Spanish," Araceli Ponze, 72, said as she rallied in Barcelona. The Spanish government sent thousands of national police into the region to prevent the vote. Some European officials are also worried that any softening in Spain's stance towards Catalan independence could fuel secessionist feelings among other groups in Europe such as Belgium's Flemings and Italy's Lombards. "The people who have come to demonstrate don't feel Catalan so much as Spanish," said 40-year-old engineer Raul Briones, wearing a Spanish national soccer team shirt.

Source: Bangkok Post October 08, 2017 12:22 UTC