On the 18th in Barcelona, Catalonia, northeastern Spain, the World Heritage Sagrada Familia Church, a worldwide tourist attraction, was shut down by a large-scale demonstration of residents seeking independence. The demonstration started on the 14th after the Supreme Court of Spain gave a conviction to an independence leader and was influenced by the cancellation of flights.
According to AFP, more than 500,000 people participated in the demonstration from not only Barcelona but also local governments. Participants rushed in front of the Sagrada Familia Church and occupied the highway to the airport. More than 50 flights were canceled because the crew could not reach the airport. Independence groups are calling for a strike, and 30% of government employees responded. The opera scheduled for performance in Barcelona on the 18th was canceled.
In Barcelona, a match between the two most popular teams in the Spanish Spanish First League, Barcelona (Barça) and Real Madrid, was scheduled to be postponed due to the demonstration. The confrontation between Barcelona and Real Madrid is a traditional game called “Classico”, one of the most watched football games in the world.
The Spanish Supreme Court sentenced nine people, including the deputy prime minister at the time, to 13-13 years of imprisonment for rebellion and other charges, forcing a referendum in 2017 to independence in the province. Barça, based in Barcelona, accused the ruling on the same day, stating that "Prison is not a solution. A political dialogue can only bring a solution." (Paris = Tadaaki Hamada)