Catalan separatists protest in Spanish banks
Major Spanish banks have decided to move their head offices out of Catalonia following the referendum. However, some banks that are still present in the autonomous region became the site of a protest on October 20. Participants withdrew symbolic amounts from bank accounts to express their disagreement with the policies of the central Spanish government.
Protesters withdrew €155 from their accounts, symbolizing the article of the constitution that threatens to strip Catalonia of its autonomous status. Some protesters withdrew €1,714 to mark the date when Catalonia was invaded by Spanish troops.
The protesters noted that their actions were not intended to harm the Spanish or Catalan economy, but were merely a symbolic gesture. Two influential separatist groups, the Catalan National Assembly and Omnium Cultural, organized the action, calling on the population to express their protest through peaceful direct action.
Some opponents of such actions noted that disrupting the normal operations of banks and economic boycotts are not the best way to develop relations between Catalonia and Spain. Some Spaniards also expressed their disagreement with the Catalan position by refusing to buy Catalan products.
