BERLIN: Hundreds of Catalan independence supporters marched in Berlin on Sunday to demand the discharge of ex-regional president Carles Puigdemont, who was arrested in Germany closing week and faces extradition to Spain on rebel charges.
Huddled under umbrellas within the rainy German capital, the protesters walked from Brandenburg Gate to the justice ministry, wearing banners that read "Free Puigdemont and the Catalan political prisoners" and "Spain is not a democracy".
Many additionally waved Catalonia's blue, yellow and crimson separatist flag as they took phase within the rally organised through the German branch of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), a grassroots pro-independence team.
"What we want to say is simply: free our elected Catalan politicians," said 34-year-old advertising worker Monica Zaldivar, who accused the Spanish government of the use of the courts to go after Catalan leaders instead of looking for a political answer.
"For me, it's about democracy in Spain," she said.
One of the organisers, Ferran Cornella, instructed AFP he estimated the crowd to quantity "400 or 500" other folks, whilst police gave a tally of over 300 demonstrators.
Puigdemont was arrested through German highway police closing Sunday as he was travelling from Finland again to Belgium, where has been residing in self-imposed exile since Catalonia's failed independence bid closing October.
The detention got here two days after a Spanish pass judgement on issued global arrest warrants for Puigdemont and other fugitive separatist leaders.
They have been ordered to face trial for rebel, misuse of public funds and disobeying the state for setting up closing year's referendum on Catalan independence, which Madrid deemed unlawful.
Puigdemont's arrest has despatched tensions hovering at house, triggering a wave of protests within the rich northeastern Spanish region.
German judges have ordered Puigdemont to stay in custody within the northern the town of Neumuenster as they mull Spain's request for him to be passed over.
They have 60 days to decide.
German media say the request has been sophisticated through the fact that rebel, which carries a most penalty of 30 years in jail in Spain, is not against the law under German legislation.
In a tweet on his reliable account Sunday, Puigdemont was quoted as announcing that the October 1 independence referendum, held exactly six months in the past, marked "the start of a new era from which there is no turning back".
Huddled under umbrellas within the rainy German capital, the protesters walked from Brandenburg Gate to the justice ministry, wearing banners that read "Free Puigdemont and the Catalan political prisoners" and "Spain is not a democracy".
Many additionally waved Catalonia's blue, yellow and crimson separatist flag as they took phase within the rally organised through the German branch of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), a grassroots pro-independence team.
"What we want to say is simply: free our elected Catalan politicians," said 34-year-old advertising worker Monica Zaldivar, who accused the Spanish government of the use of the courts to go after Catalan leaders instead of looking for a political answer.
"For me, it's about democracy in Spain," she said.
One of the organisers, Ferran Cornella, instructed AFP he estimated the crowd to quantity "400 or 500" other folks, whilst police gave a tally of over 300 demonstrators.
Puigdemont was arrested through German highway police closing Sunday as he was travelling from Finland again to Belgium, where has been residing in self-imposed exile since Catalonia's failed independence bid closing October.
The detention got here two days after a Spanish pass judgement on issued global arrest warrants for Puigdemont and other fugitive separatist leaders.
They have been ordered to face trial for rebel, misuse of public funds and disobeying the state for setting up closing year's referendum on Catalan independence, which Madrid deemed unlawful.
Puigdemont's arrest has despatched tensions hovering at house, triggering a wave of protests within the rich northeastern Spanish region.
German judges have ordered Puigdemont to stay in custody within the northern the town of Neumuenster as they mull Spain's request for him to be passed over.
They have 60 days to decide.
German media say the request has been sophisticated through the fact that rebel, which carries a most penalty of 30 years in jail in Spain, is not against the law under German legislation.
In a tweet on his reliable account Sunday, Puigdemont was quoted as announcing that the October 1 independence referendum, held exactly six months in the past, marked "the start of a new era from which there is no turning back".
Hundreds rally in Berlin calling for Puigdemont's release
![Hundreds rally in Berlin calling for Puigdemont's release]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
April 02, 2018
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