The day of mobilizations last Saturday in Barcelona tested the convening capacity of the unapologetic pro-independence movement, which won the street confrontation. The Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANC) achieved significantly higher participation than the march called by various user platforms.
Official figures from the Guardia Urbana were clear. While the ANC, with a route from the Rafael Casanova Monument to Plaça Sant Jaume, gathered 8,000 people, the other march, starting from Estació de França, only brought together 3,000 attendees, despite being supported by twenty organizations and a hundred associations.
“"Subsidiary, liar, and ineffective."
The ANC demonstration focused its thesis on the idea that the Rodalies disaster is a “premeditation by Spain to corner Catalonia towards the decline of decadence”. In contrast, the platforms' march, under the slogan “Without trains there is no future,” sought to focus criticism on the management of Adif and Renfe, avoiding the connection to Spanish dependency.
Despite the intention of depoliticization of the afternoon march, it also featured a visible presence of 'estelades' (independence flags) and signs against Spain. Furthermore, the pro-independence march generated moments of tension at the National Police Headquarters on Via Laietana, involving the throwing of objects and the removal of protective barriers.
