Pro-independence groups to avoid Barcelona attacks’ remembrance event over king’s presence

ANC and CUP criticize Felipe VI for his links with Saudi Arabia and his role in the independence bid

Spain's king Felipe VI accompanied by political officials at the mourning ceremony for the Barcelona terror attacks in August 2017 (by ACN)
Spain's king Felipe VI accompanied by political officials at the mourning ceremony for the Barcelona terror attacks in August 2017 (by ACN) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

August 13, 2018 12:15 PM

Pro-independence groups in Catalonia have announced that they will not attend the remembrance ceremony to be held in Barcelona on Friday, one year after the terror attacks, to protest against the presence of Spain’s king Felipe VI.

Elisenda Paluzie, the president of the grassroots Catalan National Assembly (ANC), rejected an invitation from Ada Colau, the mayor of the city. She will instead attend a rally held at the Lledoners prison, in Catalonia, where the former interior minister Joaquim Forn is jailed for his role in the independence bid.

A highly unpopular figure in Catalonia, Felipe VI infuriated independence supporters when he spoke to condemn last October’s referendum and made no mention of police’s violent crackdown on voters.

Most Catalan government members were subsequently either imprisoned, like Forn, or left the country to avoid prosecution, like former president Carles Puigdemont.