Spain witnesses its largest protest as 170,000 people rally against the Catalan amnesty law.

 

On November 18 in Madrid, approximately 170,000 individuals participated in the largest protest against an amnesty law negotiated by Spain's Socialists, related to Catalonia's 2017 separatist attempt. The law was agreed upon by Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to secure a four-year term with the support of Catalan and Basque nationalist parties. Protesters, displaying Spanish flags and signs with messages like "Sanchez traitor" and "Don't sell Spain," expressed concerns that the law, criticized by judicial associations, opposition parties, and business leaders, poses a threat to the rule of law and the separation of powers.

The demonstration occurred two days after Sanchez's victory, and prominent figures such as Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the opposition conservative People's Party, and Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, attended the march organized by civil groups. Following the rally, hundreds of people protested near the Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's residence, temporarily closing the A6 road.

The amnesty in question is set to cover around 400 individuals involved in the 2017 independence bid, including separatists and police implicated in clashes. This amnesty is noted as the largest in Spain since the 1977 blanket amnesty for crimes during the Franco dictatorship and the first approved in the European Union since 1991. Sanchez has defended the law, arguing that it will help ease tensions in Catalonia.

Protesters, including neo-Nazi groups, have demonstrated outside the Socialist headquarters in Madrid for 15 consecutive nights, resulting in occasional clashes with the police. Despite injuries, the protests have generally remained peaceful. A survey in mid-September indicated that approximately 70% of respondents, including 59% of Socialist supporters, opposed the idea of amnesty.

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