PICS: Huge Crowds Rally Against Catalan Secession

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AP/Manu Fernandez

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Organizers say that 930,000 people have marched in Barcelona on Sunday to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from Spain.

Many from other parts of Spain joined the Barcelona march, which was organized by pro-union grassroots group Societat Civil Catalana under the slogan “Let’s recover our common sense!”

Barcelona police said 350,000 took part in Sunday’s march.

The show of force by pro-union groups comes a week after the Catalan government went ahead and held a referendum on secession that Spain’s top court had suspended and the Spanish government said was illegal. The “Yes” side won with 90 percent with less than half the electorate polled.

Thousands march to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Demonstrators shout slogans, some of them holding a banner reading in Catalan “disobedience to the bad government”, as they gather near a headquarters of federal police in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Demonstrators carrying flags march to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) 

A Spanish police officer speaks with a demonstrator during a protest against the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. Sunday’s rally comes a week after separatist leaders of the Catalan government held a referendum on secession that Spain’s top court had suspended and the Spanish government said was illegal.(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Demonstrators shout slogans as thousands of people march to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Demonstrators hold signs reading in Spanish “police and civil guard, thank you for helping us” as thousands of people march to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Thousands of people march to protest the Catalan government’s push for secession from the rest of Spain in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Sunday Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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