At the October meeting of Galway City Council, a motion expressing solidarity with the people of Catalonia on their recent vote in favour of the country’s independence was passed by a majority of elected members.
The motion was proposed by Sinn Féin Councillor Mairéad Farrell and seconded by Cllr Billy Cameron.
Speaking after the vote Cllr Farrell said; “Over two million Catalans voted in favour of independence in a referendum on October 1, representing 90 per cent of the overall vote cast. Their voice must be respected by the Spanish government and the international community.
“The people of Catalonia, however, faced violent repression from the Spanish state in the days surrounding the vote. Despite this attack on the democratic process, Catalans came out in tremendous numbers to vote for their independence.
“The motion from Galway City Council expresses solidarity with the Catalan people in light of these events. This is a small but important action taken with full cognisance of the clear obligation there is on the international community to help ensure that Catalonia can pursue a course of self-determination without fear. I sincerely thank my council colleagues for their support in this.
“We cannot allow what has happened in Catalonia be repeated elsewhere. Nobody – not an unelected Spanish king, not an unelected European Commission, not even a minority government in Madrid – has the right to declare illegal the democratic exercise of self-determination by a people.”
