because of her courage and how she thinks most rain, so today wise mother and julia for nearly 4 decades, she's for peace for me, for brace of freedoms in your home, then they run in spite of bob barry's government to tries or children should not inherit science from us, the, an income if you look into the nice just the dots, july 29th on w. capital . loony. or is phone to the city of barcelona spectacular appear in these mountains and the beaches of the costa bravo. the region in northeast in spain is of vacation paradise, the

deed so so a place of proud history and tradition, the spot of the lines of picturesque signs conflict to simmering many catalan's wants the region to become independence . the in 2017 catalans held a referendum on independence from spain. the spanish government tried to prevent it at all costs. ever since then. tensions have been running high. catalonia will never be its own country. the region is deeply divided around half the population. don't think independence is a good idea, you know,

both of them say that you can't impose independence with only 50 percent approval. it'd be a disaster. spain's government preventive independence in 2017, including by using force. yes. and those are better than that, and we can never forgive them and like, how could it come to that? and to mix for testimony in the every 2 years. the old bull fighting of rena integra go now plays close to the biggest competition of cash deals for human towns. both financing is banned in catalonia. now the stadium celebrates the regions traditional schools. side i have 2 boys to to jot to is a strong support for of independence. she and her girlfriends have travel here from the city of rose to take part in the events

we had for the 1st time with the tower builders, from sales. we proud about team b that then by defense to coming on. that's kind of for them. hospitality for you. i'll be helping to build the foundation. i don't know how, but i'll do it. compare citizens big changes seeing if a triumphant and prosperous catalonia, the official ent and the be so tournaments region during the fascist dictatorship, under general franco, the song was outlook for almost 40 years until 1975. that struggle for recognition resonates each time its sung. the push for independence has grown out of the conviction that catalans have been fighting in vain for the freedom. for centuries, the,

the many a united by the feeling that they oppose to be spanish against the will, at events like these. finally, katelyn spoken, the language plays a major role in the self image of this would be nation. the, even the speech they come to play is charged with political significance. the human towers, which can only grow in teammates worked together symbolically powerful competitors, and the coverage is they bind to create the tool as a panel on the best teams can create up to 10 levels of human

architecture. the this particular castille competition is taking place on a significant date. it's the 1st of october 2020 to exactly 5 years off to the referendum that supported sales. so nearly secure the independence. the magazine, a counseling nation seemed within reach the in 2017. the castle and regional governments took a risky gamble. it scheduled the referendum to let the people decide whether they wanted to lead spain. the madrid's

reaction was swift labeling the referendum is unconstitutional and sending police to prevent the voting from taking place across spain. supporters of national unity cold for a cracked town on the independence movements, the the police used fools to keep motors away from folding stations. monta ro, c. k is spain's youngest, low. macon and a student separatist. she's been functioning for capital and independent since childhood. the so the referendum brings up painful memories. valencia and they got that and this was violence committed against the other lines and against democracy. it was also class violence in human violence on that as in

they treated us as if we were being violent. i went on, we wanted to do was vote in yes, and we can't possibly forgive them for that. the n like have to this day, the government claims and we were violent to the business to them. violence means wanting to go and vote antibody. meanwhile, they think they'd send their police with the tons to put down on demonstrations, isn't violent, that it doesn't make any sense. then they got some big dislike latrete. so physician, the counselor and government when to have about 90 percent of both resulted to secede from spain. the result was skewed because they was virtually no participation from opponents of independence. opinion suggested that only positive capital ends were in favor of a separate states. even so, cavaloni is regional president colors preached amount declared independence. because he didn't, the was natalie that the summation was president of catalonia, here by announced the reason to the referendum to you and to our citizens. and see

what happens with the mandate of the people who catalonia will become an independent republic. but just seconds later, the applause still allowing me to go back to the government. and i propose that parliament suspend the consequences of this declaration of independence and then to you and begin i me to use in dialogue next week and putting them without which there can be no conciliatory solution. instead of pushing ahead to cancel and government closed for dialogue, the response was anything but conciliatory. the spanish government in prisons, katelyn politicians and activists, and imposed direct route on the autonomous region. tweets to mount slit the country, [000:00:00;00]

the, the city of boston, luna is a tourist magnet. the northeast in spain, among the luxury yields and the high rise hotels. a small fishing industry still exists. douglas, the romeo bronco and david b o catalog. but once odd and supporters of the independents movements in the beginning, we took part in all the demonstrations on the 11th of september. catalonia is national holiday. the same thing and we were always their heart and soul familiar. we took our families sing along, did everything you'd expect to go to? i don't know. of course, we were always peaceful. it was every year on the 11th of september, we were out on the streets demonstrating cynthia augustine,

romeo polanko is especially disappointed that the catholic government so quickly withdrew the independent stickler ration in 2017 like many capital. and he feels betrayed by the regions political leaders, the politicians back down. no, i don't know if it was out of cowardice or because they had a sense of what was coming good babies. but they must have known beforehand if they were going to be punished. how are you going to get this done? i, they'd already gone so far as if people were celebrating in the streets the whole they should have gone through with it, and the consequences would have been the same and they would have been punished. but at least the people would have been given something to keep the illusion going . yes. so for it, they would have felt that they had succeeded. the fact that the politicians just

gave up is why many people walked away disappointed. catalonia or is among spain's most economically strong regions contributing of faith the can only account put that's lead separatists to believes that the region would be better off on its own boss. it's also while in catalonia is so vital to spain, it seems implausible, that madrid would ever ground independence to the catalans. spain will never allow us to be in favor of independence. they won't even let us hold a referendum because the results still scares them. they'll argue that supports for independence has dropped in the polls, but they'll still be afraid of

a referendum. the motto ro, c k is on her way to test as you test that you own in spanish, 200 kilometers south west of bounce, alona the city using the valencia region outside cavaloni is political board is despite the base capital. and he's also spoken to you. in fact, it's been an official language for years. rosie k has come to a demonstration in favor of preserving the language. under the dictates of franco speaking capital in, in public was forbidden. even place names and other proper nouns were translated into spanish. but since 1979 katelyn has been recognized as an official language, once again, separate is defined a would be nation by its linguistic quotas. that means they also lay claim to

valencia and the valley. eric islands, when capital and dialect has spoken to them, coming together to demonstrate the sort of person to that it shows that the costs were defending isn't the cause of just a few people. and then we can achieve something if we organized the, with regular demonstrations activists trying to keep the dream of an independent mooney online. the people claim the independence movement is the windows. but you can't quite say that looking at what we see here in custody you, it's often harder to get people here excited about the cause as opposed to in

barcelona or places like you don't. roman is missile independence activists also get support from outside the region from capital and politicians living in exile. the satera dupel east towards china has come to friends to meet with catalan ex president colors preach the moment. who leads the next island? belgian for the activist, we just a moment is the legitimate president of a free catalonia. she still has faith in him and his views on independence, the persistence of her life. the movement comes from below. and we have to maintain

that unless that's one of it strength and it makes us resilience. we've had 5 last 2 years without democracy during which we face state repression and ceaseless attacks. i mean, we wouldn't have survived that if we weren't a grassroots civic movement based on free will and popular engagement. so from what i'm very grateful to the president is all part of it for me. he's the president we should have today. i don't know if i'll ever see a free of had to learn any of my so they just shut off, but i'll keep sizing until the end non stop. if things don't clean out. but the whole people in catalonia, you'll see it that way. about the costs of them wants to remain punch in spain.

the it's the 12th of october, the spain's national holiday in the middle of the capital and capital barcelona people with spanish flags through the streets among the catalans who clearly oppose independence. many of the band is being carried those at the right wing populist party adults seems to parties bounding in 2013. it's made the most of capital and independence. an ideal issue for the national risk to rail against the votes is the 3rd largest coffee in spanish parliament. even in catalonia executed nearly 8 percent of the voting regional elections, fun. yeah. catalonia will never become its own country, not live spain. the

opponents of independence aren't just demonstrating on catalonia streets and squares. they're also taking masses into their own hands. vs is ton, again, 130 kilometers west of bumps of luna. under cover of darkness and t independents active as serial, and the move, the brake hold themselves cleaning brigades, the the s to a lot of the capital and independence flag is ubiquitous around many towns and villages. they want to change this. really, the assessor was the cleaning, the gates are groups of set as soon as i move up their own for you will have decided to come together and clean up on public spaces. no such, we don't hang symbols, a variety ology didn't work today. we don't try to impose our ideology on anyone

else, but it's true that we're trying to clean up public places like school buildings, that playgrounds in the city halls, land posts and so on. i mean, thoughts hard or less the, particularly in the country side separatism has strong supports around here. opponents of independence can expect to be greeted with hostility moment the pointing it by the public i'm up to the balcony. is the car drives by they mice, insult us? and throw things at us or trying to attack us. that's happened a couple of times. like i used to think as a street has to be democratic. it has to belong to everyone. everyone's free to display whatever symbols they want in their house, the public streets. so it should be free of that. in fact,

the flag with the white star has been banned in public places since 2018. but in many places it remains hanging in protest against spain. when the funds of what the feeling is when the illegal vote took place on october, the 1st of 2017, i realized that i couldn't sit on the sofa and watch them take my country away. they wanted to create a division that didn't exist. so i told myself i had to do something. i asked friends, hey, what can we do to stop these crazy people? the one in the square by the town who the police are waiting. but that doesn't to, to the activists that they want to remove the independence flag from the town homes balcony. they feel like they're in the right above. the police stopped and

it's like, stays on the town hall. going to take that sofa. you know, you're not listening to me in your system, the status of the. needless to say, it's an independent supply. and the supreme court has clearly said that this flag is a political symbol. just like the yellow ribbon. you're not going to city hall is a public facility that we all pay for it though it's not allowed to carry political symbolism. police, take the details box. the activists don't face serious consequences. the self proclaimed cleaning brigade says its mission was successful. he took down most of the independence flags in the village. the v scripts lita is pillar by the end of us in a secret location outside barcelona. she receives the spoils of the night's mission . this is one of dozens of warehouses across catalonia, with, for the last 5 years. opponents of independence have store be objects. they seize

flags, ribbons, and signs, claiming places to be part of the nonexistent katelyn republic. put in the system, the difference between them and is that we have to act as secret at night. whereas they put the flags back up with the help of the city council and public money in the end of the library. and those 1st joined the brigade because she didn't want to bounce the pressure from the separatists. you don't know who it was sure harassment. you had to agree completely with their ideas. you were forced to become more and more committed to independence, a yellow scarf here, yellow underpants of their yellow socks, and on and on it, i don't like anything yellow anymore and it used to be my favorite color. i don't know how many around go out there and then they said to me that i didn't understand that it was a matter of feeling. but you can govern

a state with feelings whether or not we need a clear legal system, someone feelings. and what if i feel differently tomorrow, the feelings, what rubbish on the condo, something, and that's a lot of you until 20 minute. don't know every opponent of being dependencies on the political rights thought the separatist movement has proved the audio bogeyman for spain's fun. right? politicians that are exploding the issue for their own and in mid treat the 20th of november, the fascist fell on hate tennessee monks the end of the 3 of the tents and its found the fall on hey was the finally policy during franco's dictatorship. these days it's small and hasn't had a look toral success boss. it's still legal and allowed to hold public gatherings. today we commemorate our founder jose antonio pain with the data on the 1st

anniversary of his assassination. he said that our electrics were good as the 1st means of communication. but that injustice and the fatherland were in danger. there was no argumentation except that a fist and pistols. every decent spanish person should be against all the separatists. come, i want to destroy spain, secret national unity recently, the government in madrid has been reaching out to catalans passing a little bit. could see separatist leaders guessing length and sentences. but that's outraged the rights. while the separatist say it doesn't go far enough. they are insisting on a referendum i need these heated debates about the future of catalonia motor voices . risk getting drowned down here in barcelona office on ventura, ruiz is beginning his day. as i said,

i said that i moved to barcelona as a student, us, it was a time when my whole world opened up at that time of freedom of meeting new people, end up studying and university in the us. and uh, let's do this. the old ones and tour a release leaves in public sick, a former working class neighborhood in the center of the city. okay. yeah, you have a lot more than lots of different people live here. yeah. so many of them are locals, young ones that there are also lots of democrats. yeah. when i'm getting them and then do so, you might see a separate his flag on the 2nd floor and the spanish flag on the 3rd floor. i think the people co exist here and they know how to get along with each other. i'm guessing i don't know the identifying strongly as capital in the divisiveness in his homeland worries him. but i mean, i have the same law for me in the day independence was unilaterally declared, was a painful thing. maybe i could see that things were moving more and more quickly in a direction that would only cause the problem. is it supposed to be a problem?

i know separatists derisively refer to people like ventura as a key. this dentist, people with down to position as an example. it was a difficult time, especially for people like me for neither for nor against independence. one. 0 okay . yeah. i didn't think it was the right time or the right and that that's part of last. nobody explained to us what it would mean to be independent then say i to the castle and leadership never formulated a concrete plan for a pos to independence full for capital loan. he is economic, well political future for supporters of independence. vague promises of freedom were enough unique of 78. uh, the only thing we knew for sure was that there would be an economic price to say that i'm not sure. and the truth is that people of my generations had already been through a lot of crises and the, the,

the so i felt that it was time to focus on other things. and we'll buy at a time when europe has done away with its borders. so i'm wondering when we all have the same currency, is that the moment to create smaller, closed off territories and that is an experience. and yet was that doesn't mean we don't have to fight for our identity. our language and our traditions. i don't know . i don't know. no, sir. i live in that channel, but i mean for me, the issue of independence was never really important interesting when it was, but for others, it was an ex essential needs. it's in their blood taken came for the us. they don't want to be part of spain. they can't be part of spain. yeah. well that's the root of the problem. but the, i guess, as these people don't understand that catalonia is as much mine as theirs. we live, they have to convince me as someone who's between the yes and the no, let me see, let me see, let's get the majority votes for independence, then i'll fight. fortunately. i mean,

i'll help to achieve it. the problem is that it won't be that easy. to that you can to achieve independence if you only have the support of 50 percent of the population that i thought that would be a disaster. and so i get and said on this has the good summer solstice in the tyranny's mountains on venturo release has come back, so he's fine village to celebrate in mounds and communities. the solstice is celebrated with a nice of fine tradition dates back to pagan times when people believe the fire would drive away demons on the franco, the ritual was bad and like so many other cattle and traditions disappeared. the winter time of abuse because they are running down the because you have,

you had known this since childhood, but not my early childhood. for a long time it was lost as we couldn't do it. it was forbidden. it should never have been outlawed, but it's come back and today it's spectacular. let's make that without the photo and ventura release. the 9th is also about the hope for reconciliation, savings, but on. so yes, i do have hope, and i hope that cottle on society will understand that whatever we want to achieve, we can only do it together and enjoy the in this region of rich history and tradition. the future hangs in the balance. bridging the divide between those who support those who oppose independence is a major challenge. one that will have huge implications,

both for capital lonia and all of spain, the, the, the guy i can check off the end for you. okay, mark, okay, sounds good. the transport is the greatest causes 3 o, 2 emissions in europe, and that requires urgent action. the future is determines now. europe revealed part 5 of our series. 15 minutes on d, w. the

secret sliding i discovered new adventures and 360 degrees and explore fascinating world heritage sites dw world heritage 360 now the this is dw news fly from berlin. they to leaders welcome ukraine to their summit, but not their alliance. presidents. lensky is asking nato for a guarantee of security after they refuse to set a clear timeline for ukraine's membership. it will bring you the latest from the