Last weekend the Glasgow Marxists made our way across to Edinburgh to protest the disgusting treatment by the Spanish authorities of Catalans trying to express their basic democratic right to vote. We had all heard about the intimidation that had been going on before the referendum, and as Sunday morning unfolded we were faced with more and more videos of police violence against unarmed protesters and civilians, as well as scenes of people flooding the streets and succeeding, despite the full force of the Spanish state being deployed against them, to vote.
We met up with our comrades in Edinburgh and headed over to the demonstration outside the Spanish consulate where around 400 people had assembled. Some SNP branches had come along, as well as general Scottish and Irish nationalists, and people involved in the Radical Independence campaign. But the biggest contingent by far was Catalonians themselves who had been brought together by the shocking events of the past few weeks.
We then marched on towards the European Commission, amid chants of “in, inda, independència”, “votarem” and “el pueblo, unido, jamás será vencido”. Outside the commission there were some speeches by Scottish independence campaigners and Catalans who had themselves been in Barcelona these past weeks. There was a mood of defiance and the day ended with singing of Catalonian songs as people dispersed. It is clear the situation is not over. We give full support to the Catalonian people, and the strike movement that is developing as we speak.
Solidaritat amb Catalunya!