Hundreds of thousands of supporters of a unified Spain filled Barcelona's streets today in one of the biggest shows of force yet by the so-called silent majority that has watched as regional political leaders push for Catalan independence.
Municipal police said around 300,000 people turned out at the rally, while organisers and the Spanish central government said around one million people attended.
Political parties opposing a split by Catalonia from Spain had a small lead in an opinion poll published today, the first since Madrid called a regional election to try to resolve the country's worst political crisis in four decades.
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Polls and recent elections have shown that about half the electorate in the wealthy northeastern region, which is already autonomous, oppose secession from Spain, but a vocal independence movement has brought the current crisis to a head.
Waving thousands of Spanish flags and singing 'Viva Espana', protesters turned out in the largest display of support for a united Spain since the beginning of the crisis - underlining the depth of division in Catalonia itself.
On Friday, Spain's central government called an election for 21 December after sacking Catalonia's president Carles Puigdemont, dissolving its parliament and dismissing its government.
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That followed the assembly's unilateral declaration of independence in a vote boycotted by three national parties.
The regional government claimed it had a mandate to push ahead with independence following an unofficial referendum on 1 October which was ruled illegal under Spanish law and mostly boycotted by unionists.
The poll of 1,000 people by Sigma Dos for newspaper El Mundo, which opposes independence, showed anti-independence parties winning 43.4% support and pro-independence parties 42.5%.
The survey was taken from Monday to Thursday, just as the central government prepared to take control of Catalonia.
Pro-Spain rally in central Barcelona now. pic.twitter.com/W5hHfVNilR
— Robert Shortt (@RobertShortt) October 29, 2017
Madrid said yesterday that secessionist politicians, including Mr Puigdemont, were free to take part in the December election. The hardline CUP has been unclear if it would.
With weeks still to go before that date, the poll showed the CUP, kingmaker for the pro-secessionists in the dismissed 135-seat parliament, would win seven seats, down from a current 10.
The pro-independence coalition Junts pel Si, which held 62 seats previously, was split into parties PDeCat and ERC for the poll as they are unlikely to run on a single platform. The two parties would win between 54 and 58 seats in total, the poll showed.
In a speech at today's unity rally, former European Parliament president Josep Borrell called for voters to turn out en masse in December to ensure independence supporters lose their stranglehold on the regional parliament.
"Maybe we're here because many of us during elections didn't go and vote. Now we have a golden opportunity. This time, nobody should stay at home," Mr Borrell said to cheering crowds.
Mr Puigdemont, speaking from the Catalan nationalist stronghold of Girona yesterday, called for peaceful opposition to Madrid's takeover. But he was vague on precisely what steps the secessionists would take as Spanish authorities move into Barcelona to enforce control.
European countries, the United States and Mexico have also rejected the Catalan declaration of independence and expressed support for Spain's unity.
But emotions are running high and the next few days will be tricky for Madrid as it embarks on enforcing direct rule and putting officials in administrative roles.
