Demonstrators from the Tsunami Democratic movement have blocked a highway between France and Spain in an apparent pro-Catalan independence demonstration, according to a police spokesman.
In a tweet Tsunami has encouraged citizens to travel to La Jonquera to cut the border, by car or otherwise.
Hem fet una crida a través de l'app i ara ho fem a les xarxes socials. Amb l'ajuda dels companys de la Catalunya Nord, hem pogut tallar els dos sentits de la marxa de l’AP7 al punt fronterer. Ara mateix fem un crida general a anar fins a la frontera, amb cotxe o sense.
— Tsunami Democràtic (@tsunami_dem) November 11, 2019
The movement announced Friday that the protest would begin today and should be expected to last 72 hours - until Wednesday.
According to the media outlet Naciodigital, hundreds of people blocked the border in La Jonquera.
La gendarmerie intenta desviar els cotxes que s'han quedat atrapats al bloqueig @tsunami_dem pic.twitter.com/hnzc3Xjen7
— Maria Garcia (@MariutGarcia) November 11, 2019
The protest started at nine in the morning. Initially, the south-bound lanes of the AP-7 were blocked and an open lane was left in the direction of France, but later the traffic was completely obstructed, according to the Catalan Traffic Service.
In October, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled to sentence nine Catalan politicians to 9-13 years in prison on sedition charges and another three to fines over disobedience. The court issued European and international arrest warrants for Puigdemont. The rulings triggered a massive wave of violent public protests in Catalonia.