Another rally is planned for tonight. The advice for the thousands of tourists who visit the city in the fall: during the day there is nothing empty, but stay away from the demonstrations in the evening.
Saturday was the first quiet evening in Barcelona after a week full of violence.
On a warm, half-cloudy Sunday, the centre of Barcelona is once again reasonably crowded with tourists. Little to nothing can be seen in the most touristy places of the hectic week of violence that followed the lengthy prison sentences that the Supreme Court imposed nine Catalan politicians and activists on Monday.
Road workers are busy installing new asphalt on a few streets; it was impassable after the many fires that raged in recent days.
Saturday night and night were gone for the first time without the troubles of the days before. There was a demonstration, just like every day, but peaceful demonstrators – who see their protests in front of Catalonia and against Spain being overshadowed by that violence – positioned themselves this time between the police force and the rioters to prevent a collision. It helped.
For how long is the big question. A new demonstration has been announced at six o’clock on Sunday evening. For the delegation of the Spanish government in Barcelona, around the corner from Gaudí’s famous Pedrera building on the majestic Passeig de Gràcia.
Again, thousands of demonstrators, still dozens of police vans. And the question and the fear of what will happen, whether the burning barricades will rekindle.