Tens of thousands marching in Barcelona
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Tens of thousands of people are joining marches across Barcelona in an outcry against police violence that has united political views that only one week ago seemed irreconcilable.
Separatist groups and unions had initially called for strikes to be held on Tuesday in support for Catalan leaders pushing ahead with a declaration of independence from Spain. But many non-separatists were also drawn to the streets following a crackdown on a referendum vote on Sunday.
The main national unions, CCOO and UGT, rejected the strike but told workers to join protests.
In Barcelona's Catalonia and University squares, a sea of demonstrators waved flags, most of them "esteladas," embraced by those seeking secession, but there were also plenty of Spanish national flags.
Among many banners displayed, one read "Stop violence, #CataloniaIsComing" using hashtags popular in social media, and another one wondered "Where are you Europe?"
One of the biggest groups concentrated around the Spanish national police headquarters in Barcelona, where protesters called them "occupying forces" and called for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign.
