Thousands hit streets in Barcelona to support on-trial former Catalan leader Mas

‘Thousands of Catalans have taken to the streets in support of revered former leader Artur Mas, who faced court on Monday over a symbolic non-binding independence referendum held in 2014.
Mas served as Catalan president from 2010 to January 2016, when he stepped down in the hopes that pro-independence parties could form a new coalition.
According to Catalan News Agency (CNA), a crowd of about 40,000 people gathered on Monday in downtown Barcelona to show their support for Mas, as well as former Vice-President Joana Ortega and former Education Minister Irene Rigau. All three stand accused of civil disobedience and staging a 2014 informal referendum on independence in breach of a legal order from Madrid.’
Read more: Thousands hit streets in Barcelona to support on-trial former Catalan leader Mas