Carme Forcadell speech to the demonstrators in Barcelona

The President of the Catalan National Assembly, Carme Forcadell, adresses the demonstarators at the huge rally after being received by Núria de Gipert, the President of the Catalan Parliament, and representatives of the political parties in the chamber.

"Citizens of Catalonia: there are more of us than ever who want independence.

Today we have shown our Goverment and the world that we want to be a new European State. We have completed the “Marxa cap a la Independència” (Marches towards Independence) in an extraordinary way, through many of our villages, towns and cities. You have responded massively to a pacific, collective call, with the largest, most important demonstration in our history, coming to our Parliament to demand from our institutions the initiation of a secession process.

We have just submitted to the President of the Catalan Parliament a letter from our Mayors, as well as the Catalan National Assembly’s manifesto. We have also requested her to emplace the President of Catalonia to receive us within the next two days, since Catalonia cannot wait any longer.

Today, we have accomplished the first step on our road to liberty and we will keep working with tenacity, perseverance and hope to reach our goal: the freedom of our country.

The Catalan National Assembly calls upon the people to continue alert and ready to struggle until we attain the independence of Catalonia.

Mr. President: listen to the voice of the people. Yesterday, in your institutional address, you declared that our plea is also yours, and that you wanted full sovereignty and freedom for our country. We will be at your side if you take this path.

It is now up to you to show that you have heard the Catalan people and that you are ready to make Catalonia the next European State."

Picture by 'Nació digital'