Tens of thousands of people who want the Catalonia region to become independent from Spain have held a major rally across the border in south-eastern France.
The separatists are keen to draw international attention to their fight, and the rally in Perpignan aimed to be a show of strength.
READ MORE: Jailed indy leader Jordi Sanchez says he’d do it all again
The rally’s slogan was “The republic at the centre of the world” - a reference to the desired Catalan republic.
Holding the event in French territory allowed former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont to attend. The European Parliament member is a fugitive from Spain after declaring Catalan independence in 2017.
The current Catalan president, Quim Torra, and other senior figures in the independence movement also joined the event.
READ MORE: Pedro Sanchez meets with leader of Catalonia Quim Torra
Organisers hope to draw 70,000 people, and hundreds of buses set out from Catalonia for the rally.
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