‘LONG LIVE SPANISH UNITY’: Thousands gather in Madrid for conservative and far-right backed pro-Spanish rally

THOUSANDS of protesters took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday to demonstrate in favour of Spanish unity and against regional independence movements.
The rally saw demonstrators accuse pro-Catalan independence figures and others leading a coup against Spain and claimed they acted with impunity.

Otro gran éxito de @fdenaes y la #EspañaViva. Hoy en Madrid, miles de personas con banderas de España, defendiendo la unidad de nuestra nación y contra la #impunidad de los #golpistas. Gracias a todos! pic.twitter.com/QYtGX4uEUj

— Ivan (@ivanedlm) 1 December 2018

It was organised by the Foundation for the Defence of the Spanish Nation (DENAES) and backed by the far-right Vox party. It was also attended by members of the conservative Partido Popular (PP) including local politicians.

El sanchismo pactacontodo disfruta cuando se parte el centro derecha. Con nosotros que no cuenten.

Tenemos muchos retos como país y juntos saldremos adelante. @fdenaes pic.twitter.com/xSingOKt26
— Isabel Díaz Ayuso (@IdiazAyuso) 1 December 2018

Javier Ortega, secretary general of Vox, said protesters gathered there had the “determined will” to demonstrate until all pro-independence figures were jailed.
Protestors in the Plaza de Colon waved Spanish flags and chanted slogans which included calling for the abolition of regional autonomy in Cataluña. They also branded pro-independence parties, unions and groups “criminal organisations”.

Y como cierre del acto de .@fdenaes y después de hablar .@Santi_ABASCAL presidente de .@vox_es el himno de ESPAÑA pic.twitter.com/zqIeNUiUrV

— Alfredo Perdiguero M. 🇪🇸 (@PerdigueroSIPEp) 1 December 2018

Those rallying also called for former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont to be imprisoned and chanted: “Long live Spanish unity”. The demonstration ended with the playing of the Spanish national anthem.