Tens of Thousands Anti-Independence Demonstrators Catalonia Down to the Road

Tens of thousands of anti-independence demonstrators of Catalonia took to the streets of Barcelona. Photo/Reuters

BARCELONA - Tens of thousands of pro-unity demonstrators swept the streets of Barcelona. Waving Spanish flags, demonstrators shouted for President Catalan Carles Puigdemont to be fired.

Tens of thousands of anti-independence demonstrators marched on the streets of Barcelona with the singing of "long-lived Spain" and "prison for Puigdemont" as Madrid moved to impose a direct rule on Catalonia.

Political parties experiencing secession from Spain have little advantage in a poll published on Sunday. The poll was the first since Catalan's dismissed president Carles Puigdemont declared independence on Friday.

A poll conducted by Sigma Dos agency for El Mundo's anti-independence newspaper showed 43.4 percent of 1,000 people supported the anti-independence party. While the light pro party received support of 42.5 percent.

 The survey was taken from Monday to Thursday, as the Catalan government was ready to declare independence.

Recent polls and elections show about half the electorate in the already rich, autonomous northeast region, from Spain. But a vocal independence movement has brought the current crisis to its peak.

Waving a great many Spanish words and singing "Viva Espana", dissenters on Sunday (29/10/2017) showed up in a critical show for the assembled Spain since the start of the emergency - underlining the profound divisions in Catalonia it self.

"I am here to defend Spanish unity and law," said Alfonso Machado (55) a salesman who stood with a little girl with a Spanish name in her hair.

"Knowing that ultimately there will be no independence, I feel sorry for all those who are deceived thinking there is and the split they are doing through the Catalan community," he continued as from the Independent.

European countries, US and Mexico also refused to print the Catalan declaration of independence and expressed support for Spanish unity.

But emotions run high and the next few days will be difficult for Madrid as it begins to implement direct regulation and official placement in administrative roles. []

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