The floral offering to the Rafael Casanova monument, in images

The first official act of the Diada has taken place, following tradition, in front of the monument of Rafael Casanova, who was Minister-in-Cap of Barcelona when the city fell into the hands of the Bourbon troops on September 11, 1714.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
11 September 2022 Sunday 03:31
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The floral offering to the Rafael Casanova monument, in images

The first official act of the Diada has taken place, following tradition, in front of the monument of Rafael Casanova, who was Minister-in-Cap of Barcelona when the city fell into the hands of the Bourbon troops on September 11, 1714. Institutions, parties and entities have come together to pay tribute to this important figure of Catalanism at a time of great discontent among the pro-independence sector, which has materialized in loud whistles towards the ERC leaders.

The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, has led the first floral offering by the Government. "What I want is for citizens to express themselves with all their plurality, with all their convictions and that we clearly focus on the demands of this Diada in favor of Catalonia's right to freely choose its future," he asserted in his speech to the press.

The vice-president of the Parliament, Alba Vergés (ERC), also passed by the place, representing the Bureau of this body. The former health minister has also deposited her offering accompanied by the second vice-president of Parliament, Assumpta Escarp (PSC); the first secretary of the Bureau, Ferran Pedret (PSC); the second secretary, Aurora Madaula (Together); the fourth secretary, Rubén Wagensberg (ERC); and the mayor of the Parliament, Miquel Palomares, while the third secretary of the Bureau, Carles Riera (CUP), did not attend.

Shortly after, the mayor of the city, Ada Colau, paraded with the offering of the Barcelona City Council. In his statements to the press, he lamented that the political course in Catalonia has started "too much of a market due to the fights between the parties of the Government" and has demanded an "emergency plan" from the Catalan Executive to deal with inflation and the crisis energetic.

In addition, the leaders of Junts have attended, whose president, Laura Borràs, has affirmed that the Diada commemorates the "loss of freedoms" of Catalonia in 1714 but it is also a day of hope to be able to recover them. For this reason, she has summoned citizens to maintain hope to "turn Catalonia into a free nation in Europe, with all its rights and duties but with complete and full freedom".

Nor has the PSC lacked the tribute, which has moved to the place a representation headed by its first secretary, Salvador Illa, who has expressed his desire that the Diada be that of "respect" and allow "manifest plurality". Illa has been accompanied by the Minister of Transport, Raquel Sánchez, the former president of the Generalitat José Montilla and the president of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Núria Marín, who has deposited the offering on behalf of the corporation.

Another of the parties that has paid tribute to the figure of Rafael Casanova are the common ones. The president of United We Can in Congress, Jaume Asens, has called for "an anti-repressive consensus of Catalanism that goes from the CUP to the PSC, which will allow the judicialization of the conflict to end" and repeal the crime of sedition.

The PDeCAT, the Nationalist Party of Catalonia (PNC) and Convergents have jointly attended the floral offering, the first gesture of "reunion" between these three formations that emerged from the space of the old Convergència. It has also been possible to see the leader of the PP in the Barcelona City Council, Josep Bou, who has deposited his offering to Casanova between shouts of 'fascist' and whistles.

Other outstanding offerings were those of the ANC, headed by Dolors Feliu, and Òmnium, whose leader, Xavier Antich, arrived accompanied by the presidents of Acció Cultural País Valencià and Obra Cultural Balear, Anna Oliver and Joan Miralles.