Catalan separatists march in their thousands to Barcelona blocking roads and highways in fourth day of large-scale demonstrations

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Thousands of Catalan separatists were back out on the streets today as students kicked off a two-day strike with thousands more joining a cross-country march towards Barcelona.  

Their aim is to converge on the capital of Spain's Catalonia region by Friday, when separatists have called a general strike and a big demonstration on what will be the fifth day of protests.

They are protesting the Supreme Court's decision on Monday to jail nine separatist leaders for their role in a 2017 independence referendum banned by Madrid and a short-lived declaration of independence.

Earlier today, outside Barcelona's town hall some 25,000 striking students and their supporters took part in a midday rally on the fourth day of unrest in the region.

Student protesters and their supporters gather in Sant Jaume Square, in Barcelona, outside the City Hall. The embattled northeastern region has been grappling with a wave of protests since a Supreme Court decision on Monday saw nine separatist leaders jailed

The students can be seen chanting, wearing and waving the Catalonian flag outside Barcelona's City Hall on Thursday in what was the fourth day of protests to hit the city

The students can be seen shouting, lifting their arms to the air as they rally together in protest against the sentencing of nine Catalan separatist leaders 

Another protest has been called for Thursday evening by the radical CDR group. 

Police reported a number insulted officers and threw eggs and toilet paper at them. 

Eduard Salinero, a 21-year-old physics student who is in favour of separatism, said many people who want Catalonia to remain a part of Spain back the protests 'because they feel it is totally unfair to send our elected politicians to jail.'

Meanwhile, around the wider region, activists blocked several roads across Catalonia by burning tyres while the commuter rail service in Barcelona was intermittently disrupted due to demonstrators on the tracks, officials said.

Several roads and highways were also blocked off due to the mass marches which departed on Wednesday from five Catalan towns heading for Barcelona.

Xenia Cabeza, 18, said she was protesting 'because they don't let us vote in a referendum' on secession. She carried a sign that read 'You can't imprison an entire people'.

More protests are expected on Friday when separatists have called for a general strike and a big demonstration in Barcelona - in what will be the fifth day of unrest 

People take part in a protest march in Parets Del Valles. Thousands more joined a cross-country march to Barcelona in time to join the large-scale demonstrations planned for Friday

As thousands marched into Barcelona, around the wider region, activists blocked several roads across Catalonia by burning tyres while the commuter rail service in Barcelona was intermittently disrupted due to demonstrators on the tracks

Ever since the Supreme Court announced its verdict to jail the nine separatist leaders there have been large-scale demonstrations. 

The protests have turned increasingly violent with separatist activists engaged in nighttime clashes with riot police in Barcelona and elsewhere. 

Overnight, protesters in Barcelona set fire to cars and large wheelie bins, overturned metal barriers and threw firecrackers at police, who pushed back with batons and shields. Emergency services said 58 people were injured, including a 17-year-old who was hit by a police van.

Another 38 people were injured in protests in other Catalan cities, including Lerida and Girona.

Police have arrested 97 people across Catalonia since the protests began, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said today. 

'We are experiencing episodes of great violence in Catalonia carried out by minority groups which are perfectly organised,' he said.

With further protests planned for Thursday night, the minister vowed there would be 'no impunity' for those involved in violence.

On Wednesday evening protesters set fire to cars, large wheelie bins and clashed with police

The fiery riots were sparked on Monday after the Spanish Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison for their role in the failed 2017 Catalan independence referendum

Bins can be seen burning on the main streets in Barcelona after the protests escalated and saw bins and cars set on fire

Berta Barbet, a political scientist at the University of Barcelona, said the demonstrations 'in their current size' would likely only last a week.

'We are talking about actions that take a lot of time and energy and I don't see a big part of the population keeping it up for long.'

While Catalan president Quim Torra has sanctioned and even encouraged civil disobedience, his government is also responsible for the regional police who are charged with controlling demonstrations, putting him in an uncomfortable position.

Torra had not commented on the unrest for days, but overnight he called for an immediate halt to the violent clashes, saying there was 'no reason or justification for burning cars'.

But just hours later he pledged in Catalonia's regional parliament to push for a new vote on secession by the end of his term in early 2022.

'We must push forward and not allow ourselves to be intimidated by threats and bans,' he said.

While Catalan president Quim Torra has sanctioned civil disobedience he did overnight call for an immediate halt to the violent clashes

On Thursday thousands of students kicked off a planned two-day strike in the center of Barcelona. Despite the violent protests overnight the students while boisterous demonstrated in a largely peaceful manner in the city centre

A student (R) holds a banner reading 'I am not pro-independent but I am not such an a*****e to keep quiet' as some thousand students attend a rally to protest against Spanish Supreme Court's sentence against pro-independence leaders, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 17 October 2019.

A poll published in July by a public Catalan institute showed support for an independent Catalonia at its lowest level in two years, with 48.3 percent of people against and 44 percent in favour.

The court's decision has thrust the Catalan dispute to the heart of the political debate ahead of Spain's November 10 general election, its fourth in as many years.

According to the first poll since Monday's verdict, the ruling Socialists are likely to secure the most votes but will again fall short of a majority.

The main opposition conservative Popular Party, which takes a hard line on Catalan separatists, will make significant gains, it found.

Published in El Mundo daily, it predicted Sanchez's Socialists will capture 122 seats in the 350-seat parliament, slightly down from 123 it took in the last election in April, while the PP would win 98 seats, up from 66.