Crisis in Catalonia

Tens of thousands of people took the city center of Barcelona "in defense of rights and freedoms" demanding the release of separatist leaders Jordi Sànchez y Jordi Cuixart, who are being held pending investigations into sedition charges. This midday the Spanish president Mariano Rajoy announced the exceptional application of the 155 article, which represent a package of measures who seek to restore the legality in Catalonia and the coming dismissal of Carles Puigdemont and Oriol Junqueras, president and vice-president of Catalonia. In the other side, the Spanish government is planning to organize an oficial Catalan referendum in less than six months. Photo: Nicolas Carvalho Ochoa/DPA/dpa (Photo by Nicolas Carvalho Ochoa/picture alliance via Getty Images)