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A demonstration on the streets of Barcelona by pro-independence CDR activist groups began this Friday evening at around 8pm, leaving from the Arc de Triomf in the direction of Plaça Urquinaona. As part of the protest, an organised action took place in which they symbolically incinerated the Spanish state. The demonstrators then headed uptown to the Jardinets de Gràcia, where they moved rubbish containers into the middle of the street.

Rally by members of the Committees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR)

Among the protesters joining the CDR march, some wore hooded jackets, and some carried flaming torches and an effigy with the face of king Felipe VI. The initial gathering at Arc de Triomf coincided with the end of the act of the pro-independence left. 

Symbolic act by the CDRs

And then the CDRs marched to the monument in memorial of Rafael Casanova, and staged a symbolic act in which they "condemned the Spanish state to be torched".

 

The symbolic action involved the burning of an effigy with the faces of two Spanish kings: Felipe V (the monarch 300 years ago) and Felipe VI (the current monarch). Also burnt down in the staged event was a wall, made of boxes labelled with the logos of major Spanish corporations and state institutions.

CDR activists burn a Felipe VI effigy and a wall of boxes labelled with the names of major companies and institutions of the Spanish state.

Just before the symbolic torching, activist Roger Español read a manifesto that recounted the history of state repression against Catalonia. During the rally, slogans such as 'Urquinaona, we'll do it again' or 'Bring back Terra Lliure' were heard.

Afterwards, the protest group headed towards Plaça Catalunya and turned up Passeig de Gràcia. A hundred people arrived at the Jardinets de Gràcia, where they moved containers towards Carrer Gran. Some containers were burnt. The Mossos police made two arrests.

Recycling containers moved into barricade formation in Gràcia .