Thousands of people took to the streets here to demand the release of jailed Catalonian leaders for their outlawed drive to secede from Spain. Barcelona's municipal police force said 750,000 people participated in the march on Saturday, called to demand the release of eight former members of the dissolved Catalan government and the presidents of the two main grassroots independence organisations - the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, reports Efe news. The ANC and Omnium had organised Saturday's demonstration. The jailed separatist leaders include former vice president of the Catalan regional government, Oriol Junqueras, who like the rest of his fellow Cabinet members is charged with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for his role in enabling the region's October 27 declaration of independence.

Spanish police stand guard next to two men holding Spanish flags reading "Long live Spanish unity" as the former speaker of Catalonia's sacked parliament arrives at the Supreme Court in Madrid on November 9, 2017 to be questioned over her role in Catalonia's independence drive. A judge may decide to detain Forcadell and five former lawmakers on charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds after Catalan lawmakers voted last month to split from Spain. That declaration was annulled by Spain's Constitutional Court. Pic/AFP