It is the day of the general strike in Catalonia. More than 40 trade unions called it "for the serious violation of the law and freedoms", with reference to the violence by the Spanish police to prevent Sunday's independence referendum.
Meanwhile, after yesterday's moments of chaos and violence, thousands of people gathered in front of town halls, businesses, schools, throughout Catalonia to peacefully denounce the harsh repression carried out by the Spanish police against the polling stations.
Even Barcelona football joins the general strike in Catalonia to protest against the violence on the independence referendum. So tomorrow the club's activities will stop: the offices are closed and no training by the teams of the various disciplines, including football.
The decision was taken by the company directive council: "Tomorrow everything will stop", is written in a note released by the club. It must be said that most of the Blaugrana players are currently available for their respective national teams.
The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, has asked for "international mediation" with Madrid on the crisis in Catalonia and announced the creation of a commission of inquiry into Sunday's violence against the civilian population. The "Government" will also launch legal actions "until the last consequences" against those responsible, including political ones, for the intervention of the Spanish police which injured 893 people.
The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, has denounced sexual assaults by the Spanish police during the attacks on polling stations. Colau said she has received testimonies from women who have reported being subjected to such attacks. The mayor of Barcelona has announced charges against the Spanish police over Sunday's violence.
The Government demands the withdrawal of the thousands of agents sent by Spain to Catalonia to prevent the referendum. “The EU – he said – must favor mediation between Madrid and Barcelona on the crisis in Catalonia. It cannot continue to look the other way: this is a European issue, not an internal one”.
The spokesman of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, however, underlined that “for the Spanish Constitution, that vote is not legal. For the European Commission, this is an internal matter of Spain, which must be addressed within the framework of the Spanish constitutional order and in line with fundamental human rights. These she – she said – are times for unity and not for division. We ask both sides to move quickly from a conflict situation to dialogue. Violence is not the tool in politics to resolve issues. We trust Mariano Rajoy to manage the situation in compliance with the human rights enshrined in the Constitutions".
“I just spoke to Mariano Rajoy. Sharing his constitutional theses, I appealed for ways to be found to avoid further escalation and the use of force ”. Thus the President of the European Council Donald Tusk on Twitter, on the referendum in Catalonia.
