The Catalan community in Ireland organised yesterday a successful Human mosaic/demonstration (V) in support of Independence of Catalonia and Democracy

On Ssaturday 23rd of August 2014 the Catalan community living in Ireland (ANC Ireland and the Catalan Council of Ireland) organised a successful V mosaic/ demonstration in support of independence of Catalonia. The demonstration coincided with nearly 90  similar  other events taking place world wide and a massive one that will take place in Catalonia next September 11^th.

It has been a very successful event with more than 150 attendees, exceeding by far the organisers expectations with people from all nationalities and ages gathered in front of the Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance. Altough we had to complete the initial V earlier than the meeting time as the park was closing due to anther demonstration outside. Therefore, the initial picture with the V is showing only partially the attendence of the event and the other pictures gathered everyone else afterwards in front of the Dublin City Gallery.  As an act of friendliness and gratitude towards their adopted country, Catalans  welcomed other Irish who wished to join in and be a part of the “human V” today.  

 The organisers have chosen the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin to hold the event as the symbol of Irish independence and freedom, for its historic relevance. The people who gathered together, sang several songs of freedom together with the Catalan national anthem and chanting independence songs. The event was conducted in a festive yet civilised atmosphere and passers by showed great interest and congratulated the organisers. This event has been video recorded and subsequently will be shown throughout most of the national media in Catalonia.

The Catalan community in Ireland gives its full support to independence for Catalonia and today gathered united peacefully showing support to Catalonia and its desire for independence. Today’s event was also useful to explain to Irish citizens and tourists why the people of Catalonia want their independence from Spain as soon as possible and that Spain does not allow its citizens to vote.

Currently, the Catalan government is not allowed to hold a referendum of independence or decide any relevant issues as it is subordinated to the Spanish government and does not have full power of decision. Catalans want to participate democratically in a referendum for independence. This referendum will be on November the 9th and it could show then, that Catalonia is mature enough to govern itself with its own voice in the European Union and the United Nations.

However, as a referendum is not allowed by the Spanish government, the social movement “Catalan National Assembly”   http://catalanassembly.org/     who last 11^th  September  mobilised in 2012 around one and a half million people during a peaceful rally in Barcelona as a show of solidarity with the Catalan Government and in support of the proposed Referendum and also organized a “human chain” of over 1.5 million persons holding hands that were peacefully stretching along the entire country from north to south (about 400 Km) on 11 September 2013, Catalonia’s national day. More than 200 foreign journalists requested to be able to cover the Catalan Way, creating a much higher international interest than for last year’s huge rally and this year will repeat a huge demonstration in the shape of a "V" in Barcelona.

Like the Catalan Community in Ireland completed today, many Catalan communities abroad are also participating in this serene symbolic gesture creating their own “V” demonstrations in more than 80 cities around the globe. New York, Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Boston, Rome, Miami, Frankfurt, Vancouver … and many more !!! Such as a similar event that will also be held here in Cork (Ireland):

·          Cork   Saturday, 5^th  of September or Friday 4th (to be confirmed).

The ANC Ireland wants to say a Big THANK YOU  to all those who attended the event and the ones who have shown interest in this rather unusual representation of good  will where many people peacefully demonstrated to symbolise their support of a nation’s democratic right to decide its future by means of a Referendum.