Protests over jailing of Catalan separatists bring Barcelona to a standstill

Barcelona was brought to a standstill as hundreds of thousands of pro-independence demonstrators continued to express their anger over the jailing of Catalan separatist leaders.

The city’s most famous landmark, the Sagrada Familia cathedral, was closed to the public, while flights were cancelled and Spain’s biggest football fixture, El Clasico, was put back until December.

Workers downed tools and shops shut up early as protestors blocked roads as part of a general strike.

Barcelona police said more than 500,000 people took part in the demonstration, following the Supreme Court’s decision to jail nine Catalan leaders for sedition.

It sparked some of the worst street violence Spain has witnessed in decades.

The demonstrations were mostly peaceful, with activists chanting and waving pro-independence flags.

However, small clashes broke out between protesters and police by the evening.

Anna Parella, a hospital worker from the coastal town of Calella, joined the march to call for independence and the release of the jailed leaders.

She told The Guardian: ‘A lot of people have joined us as we’ve gone along and the mood is really nice and festive.

‘I’m against the violence and we can’t have people starting to think we’re all violent. Our calls will lose their force if they do.’