Divided over talks with Spain, Catalonia’s separatists rally

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Catalans have rallied for independence from the rest of Spain in their first major mass gathering since the start of the pandemic. The march in Barcelona on Saturday comes before a meeting between regional leaders in northeast Catalonia and the Spanish government. They will try to find a solution to the political crisis caused by the separatist movement. But the differences inside the Catalan separatist camp over the talks marked the rally. Some separatist leaders see the talks as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get Spanish authorities to open the door to a referendum on secession. Others see the talks as pointless.