An estimated 44,000 people marched in protest of the crackdown by Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after he implemented Article 155 of the constitution and took over the running of the semi-autonomous region and punish those responsible.
The march, organised in support of the north east region, was held in the Basque capital of Bilbao was a show of support for Catalonia’s bid to break away from Spain and declare itself an independent republic.
The Basque region in northern Spain has its own separatist movement, one with a decades-long history of armed conflict and violence.
An armed separatist group, ETA, has been blamed for the deaths of more than 800 Spanish law enforcement officers, soldiers and civilians people. The group disarmed earlier this year.
More pro-independence rallies are planned for the coming weeks in Catalonia.
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Catalonia’s push for independence has sparked a revival of Basque’s own independence movement and now Madrid faces fresh challenges to its rule.
Spokesman for the EAJ (Basque Nationalist Party) Joseba Egibar said on Saturday that “there is no possibility of agreement” with his party over Spain’s 2018 budget.
The Spanish Congress of Deputies has 350 seats of which prime minister Rajoy’s PP (Popular Party) hold 135 and, as such, relies on votes from parties like EAJ, which is also centre-right in terms of ideology, to pass anything.
During a radio discussion between Basque politicians on Radio Euskadi, Mr Egibar asked: “With a PP, with a Spanish government which has set all its politico-judicial machinery against the independence process in Catalonia” and “its governors”, “what area of negotiation should [the EAJ] have with the PP?”
The latest demonstration in Spain came after Madrid judge Carmen Lamela issued a European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont who is currently in Belgium attempt to drum up international support for his cause.
Several members of the Catalan government have already been imprisoned and face around 30 years behind bars on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.
Those arrested include Mr Puigdemont’s deputy, Vice President Oriol Junqueras.
Meanwhile, Mr Puigdemont has called for all the pro-independence parties across the political spectrum to unite and form a united front in the regional elections Mr Rajoy has called for December 21.
Should the various parties agree to the move it would effectively turn the election into a de facto referendum vote on independence.
Mr Puigdemont said: “It is the moment for all democrats to unite. For Catalonia, for the freedom of political prisoners, and for the republic.”
Although the deadline for registering for the election is November 7 it looks like all the major parties will back the move.
The latest poll indicates that Mr Rajoy’s moves to crush the independence drive have backfired with his heavy-handed approach alienating many who had not previously wanted independence but backed holding a referendum on the issue.