With additional reporting by Maria Ortega
With additional reporting by Natalia
As Spain moves into its fifth day of protests, a general strike has been summoned across Catalonia, affecting public transport in the region. Following the news, 57 flights were cancelled from Barcelona El Prat Airport. This is reportedly a “preventative measure” to lessen the impact on passengers. Despite the cancellations, the airport began its morning as normal with 979 flights scheduled for the day.
Most of the cancelled flights, 36, were operated by Vueling.
While 18 of the flights were due to depart from the airport, a further 18 had El Prat as their destination.
Iberia Madrid-Barcelona Air Bridge also cancelled 12 flights.
Passengers who are due to travel with the airline have been warned that some of their flights “may be affected”.
Customers who have bought their ticket directly through the company website and are due to fly have been offered the option to rebook any date between 16 October and 23 October.
If booked through a travel agency, passengers should contact the agency directly to modify their reservation.
The general strike was called by the Intersindical-CSC and the Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (IAC) unions in response to the imprisonment of seven Catalonian independence leaders.
The strike action coincides with the ‘Marches for Freedom’ which have taken place today.
The marches caused disruption on a number of roads, including the AP-7 which sits close to the border of France.
The five marches came together in Barcelona at noon today to continue a mass demonstration.
According to the first data of the Generalitat, a follow-up of 50 per cent in most sectors, with the exception of universities and trade, where 90 per cent and 60-80 per cent follow-ups have been recorded, respectively.
The protests caused disruption at the airport on Monday when demonstrators and the police infiltrate the airport, causing delays and cancellations to a number of flights.
Tourists have since taken to social media to voice their concern and inquire about whether the country is safe to travel to.
Spain’s caretaker Interior Minister insisted today Barcelona was a safe place to visit – as the city’s most visited tourist attraction closed its doors because of a pro-independence demo.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska responded to recent warnings by foreign embassies about the current situation in the Catalan capital by claiming: “Barcelona can be visited with total normality.
“Only small groups are causing incidents at certain times in specific places.”
He spoke out during a press address at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, the official residence and workplace of the Spanish Prime Minister, in response to warnings from governments of countries including the UK.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its foreign travel advice for Spain this week by saying visitors to Barcelona should “exercise caution” in the vicinity of demonstrations.
The UK warning added: “Demonstrations intended to be peaceful can escalate and turn confrontational.”
Grande-Marlaska’s attempt to restore some sense of calm after four nights of violence in the Catalan capital backfired when visitors trying to get into the iconic Gaudi-designed Sagrada Familia, which receives more than three million visitors each year, were turned away.
The monument closed to the public after pro-independence demonstrators blocked access today during a day-long general strike called in protest at the Supreme Court’s decision on Monday to jail nine separatist leaders over their role in a failed 2017 independence referendum.
While reports of violence from protesters has been rife, Catalan pro-independence president Quim Torra had said he condemns such behaviour.
Mr Torra said: “The independence movement condemns and will condemn violence wherever it comes from.
“The incidents we are seeing are not permissible. This has to stop now.”
But he went on to blame “infiltrators” for the unrest rather than attacking the so-called Committees for the Defence of the Republic who have been linked to the violence.
And he later said he wanted to organise a new independence referendum to the surprise of his regional government allies.