Protesters rally in Madrid against pardons for Catalan pro-independence prisoners

Protesters and politicians have gathered in Madrid's Plaza de Colón to demonstrate against the proposed pardons for Catalan pro-independence prisoners.

The leaders of the right-wing People's Party, Ciudadanos and far-right Vox have all attended Sunday's rally but are not expected to take to the stage to address the crowd, nor be photographed together, unlike a previous demonstration in the same square in 2018.

For weeks, Spanish government officials and members of the ruling Socialist party have been paving the way towards granting pardons for Catalonia's jailed pro-independence leaders, a contentious and politically-charged decision that could come to define Pedro Sánchez's presidency.

Former Catalan vice president, Oriol Junqueras, who has been in jail for almost four years for his role in the 2017 independence referendum, suggested in an article on Monday that he would support the granting of a pardon for him and the other eight politicians and activists behind bars.

"We love Spain and Catalonia"

Some protesters traveled from outside the Spanish capital to attend the rally, including Maribel, who took an overnight bus from Alacant (Alicante).

"We're here because we love Spain and Catalonia, a Spain forever united, that if we don't defend, they will break," she told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

Independence leaders in prison, who "staged a coup," she said, "cannot be left unpunished."

Julio, a Vox voter, said the pardons were "an aberration" and demanded the resignation of Spanish president Pedro Sanchez.

More to follow