People Before Profit Cllr Eamonn McCann said,
“What’s happening in Catalonia is a travesty of justice. We cannot act as if it’s of no importance to us here. The Spanish government has denied the democratic will of the Catalan people with violence. They have jailed political leaders. They are battering people in the streets of Barcelona and have thrown many of them, including children, in prison.
The European Union has refused to challenge the Spanish government on this. The EU isn’t neutral. They call themselves democrats but Juncker and the elite minds of the EU club oppose independence for Catalonia. The EU is no gallant ally for the Catalan people. It’s as simple as this: the EU opposes the democratic will of the Catalan people and has given a green light to the Spanish government’s repression and brutality – and the attempt to arrest exiled referendum leaders.
People Before Profit are calling for the Derry and Strabane Council to send a message of solidarity to the people of Catalonia. They must be allowed the assert their democratic demands. The Spanish government’s use of violence must end. The more than 100 years in prison sentences dished out to Catalan representatives must be rescinded. Those thrown in jail for protesting in recent weeks should be released immediately.”
PBP motion to Derry and Strabane Council tomorrow Oct 24:
The decision to imprison the political leadership for giving effect to the democratic will of the Catalan people will inevitably backfire on Spain. There is now only one possible route that the Catalan nation can follow. If Catalonia is to survive and to protect its institutions and culture, it must now become an independent state in the form of a republic. We will never back down.” Carles Puigdemont, former president of Catalonia
Council stands in solidarity with the people of Catalonia in their democratic demand for self-determination and independence.
Council demands Spanish authorities end violence and criminalisation directed at the peaceful Catalan struggle for justice and immediately rescind jail sentences imposed by the Spanish Supreme Court on Catalan representatives.
Council calls on the European Union to ends its silence and complicity with the Spanish government’s violent repression, denial of democratic rights and, now, imprisonment of Catalan leaders.
Council will invite a Catalan representative for a presentation to Council.
