Thousands of Students Rally in Barcelona University Demanding Independence Vote

MADRID (Sputnik) — Several thousands students gathered at the University of Barcelona building and held rallies and manifestations there demanding the referendum on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

The organizers of the Friday event had read the manifesto saying that the "the referendum scheduled for October 1 cannot be stopped" as it was the only way toward democracy.

The university's administration responded to the rallies saying that the students could be in the building of the educational institution  as long as their protest remained peaceful and the property of the university remained undamaged.

On September 6, Catalonia’s Parliament passed a bill enabling the independence referendum to be held on October 1. The Spanish government called the bill illegal and challenged it in the Constitutional Court. The next day, the Constitutional Court accepted the lawsuit for review, thus suspending the Catalan law on referendum.

On Wednesday, Spain’s Civil Guard detained over 10 people in a raid related to preparations for the independence vote. Dozens of searches were also held in a number of governmental institutions, including Catalonia's Generalitat (government).

The activities of the Spanish authorities have triggered a wave of protests across the country's northeastern region.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said that the referendum on the independence of Catalonia was a "pipe dream" and urged the government of the autonomous region should give up the idea.

Earlier, the EU Commission Vice-President urged all parties to the political process in Catalonia to "respect the constitutional order of the member state they are part of".