Brussels, Dec 7 (AP) Tens of thousands of people fromCatalonia rallied today in Brussels, decrying what they see asthe European Union's failure to help them following a failedindependence referendum in the Spanish region.
Police said around 45,000 people took to the streets ofthe Belgian capital for a rally that comes amid campaigningfor a regional election in Catalonia on December 21.
Singing and chanting slogans, protesters marched aroundthe EU's main institutions, some draped in flags or carryingsigns with "Shame on You" stamped over an EU flag. A fewBelgian Flemish separatists and Scottish flags could be seenin the crowd.
Many Catalans are pro-European, yet they feel let down bythe bloc's failure to mediate their conflict with the Spanishgovernment in Madrid or to condemn Spanish police violenceduring the October 1 poll on independence.
Spain says unilateral moves by Catalan officials todeclare independence violate the Spanish constitution.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, among those upfor re-election on Dec. 21, used the gathering Thursday aspart of his political campaign. He and four former Catalangovernment cabinet members fled to Brussels after thereferendum fearing arrest. Several of their colleagues werejailed in Spain.
"Have you ever seen somewhere in the world such ademonstration that would support criminals?" Puigdemont askedthe crowd.
"What happens in Catalonia is an opportunity for Europe.
Let's wait for Dec. 21 and then we will start talking on the22nd," he said. (AP)NSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.