Catalunya 'general strike' fails, except for transport

AN ATTEMPT at a region-wide shutdown in Catalunya yesterday (Wednesday) 'failed spectacularly' according to Spain's national government – although travellers and commuters on the high-speed AVE trains and outer suburban Cercanías lines were not convinced.

Staged by separatist campaign groups Òmnium and the Catalunya National Assembly (ANC) – whose leaders, Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez respectively, are in prison charged with sedition – the strike had little impact on business in general, barely making a dent in industry or retail, but huge protests blocked the train lines at Barcelona's central Sants station.

Demonstrators, mostly students, carried banners calling for 'political prisoners' to be freed.

Major roads were also blocked by protesters, as were other railway lines, including the AVE track in Girona.

Tailbacks of several kilometres were reported on two main regional highways, the C-58 and C-32, plus the B-20 in Barcelona, and the AP-7, A-2 and AP-2 motorways.

Over 150,000 train passengers were affected by long delays, and some of those at Sants station began to insult and jeer at Catalunya's regional police, the Mossos d'Esquadra.