Thousands of Barcelona protesters demand activists' release
Thousands of people are protesting in Barcelona to demand the release of two Catalan pro-independence activists jailed a day earlier by Spanish authorities in a sedition case.
The demonstrators have flooded a main avenue, holding up candles, pro-independence "estelada" flags and chanted "political prisoners, freedom." The jailed activists are Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, who lead two different grassroots groups.
On Monday, a Madrid judge provisionally jailed Sanchez and Cuixart in a sedition investigation. The judge ruled they were behind huge demonstrations Sept. 20-21 in Barcelona that hindered the police operation against preparations for an Oct. 1 independence referendum. Spain's top court has ruled that the referendum was unconstitutional, adding legal weight to the government's efforts to block an attempt by the region to break away from Spain.
