F2F Class Notes (Nemo)

A strike in Catalonia brought large parts of Barcelona to a standstill. Thousands of Catalans protested over police violence during Sunday’s independence referendum. Nearly 900 people were injured. Spain’s government said the referendum was illegal. It told the police to break it up. Spain’s king condemned the vote. He said people had put themselves “outside the law”. He said the situation was “extremely serious”. He also called for national unity.

Barcelona’s mayor said Catalans deserved a vote on independence. She said people needed a democratic response and a political solution, “that listens to the cries of millions of people”. She asked Spain’s prime minister to resign. More unrest could come. A declaration of Catalan independence could send Spain into a constitutional crisis and risk the break-up of Spain. Other regions might copy Catalonia and have their own referendum.

Vocabulary

strike (v): 1- to refuse to continue working because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses:
E.g.: We’re striking for better pay and improved safety standards.

standstill (n): 1-a condition in which all movement or activity has stopped:
E.g.: Production at the factory has come to a standstill.