People rally in Spain’s Basque to back Catalonia’s independence bid

Thousands of people have staged a rally in the Spanish autonomous Basque Country to support an independence vote due in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia.

Some 3,000 demonstrators took to the streets in the Basque city of San Sebastian on Saturday, expressing support for Catalonia and its planned referendum on independence from Spain, which is planned for October 1st.

The demonstrators waved the red and yellow Estelada flag used by those favoring independence in Catalonia, as well as Basque’s regional flag.

Pro-independence Basque leader Arnaldo Otegi, who was present at the march, said the rally was in solidarity with the Catalans and the “people who are giving an important example in democracy in Europe and demanding the right to self-determination to decide whether they want to be independent or not.”

“There are plenty of reasons behind this demonstration. The first is the Basque people are demanding their own sovereignty. Others are saying they just want to create a fairer society. We all say that we need our sovereignty,” he said.

Catalonia has been seeking independence from Spain for years.

SS