Catalans commemorate 5th anniversary of failed breakaway

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Thousands of Catalans have gathered in Barcelona to commemorate the fifth anniversary of an independence referendum that marked the high point of their movement to break away from the rest of Spain. The 2017 vote was declared unconstitutional by Spain’s top courts and marred by clashes with police. Catalonia’s separatist lawmakers used the referendum vote to justify a unilateral declaration of independence issued on Oct. 27, 2017 that failed to garner any international support. Since the referendum victory the separatist movement has been increasingly fraught with in-fighting. Divisions in the separatist camp were heard on Saturday when some speakers at the rally were booed.