Catalans build Castell on Brussels market square
Several hundred Catalans joined a protest in favour of a referendum on autonomy in the Spanish region of Catalonia in Brussels on Whitsunday. To underpin their demand they also built a Castell, the traditional Catalan human tower.
Catalans want to stage a referendum on greater autonomy for their region on 9 November, but the Spanish government is refusing to accept the legitimacy of the project.
Similar Castells were built by autonomists in seven other European centres today. The human towers are recognised by UNESCO as immaterial cultural heritage.
Catalan actor Sergi López: "Castells form a unity; they make use of differences in Catalan society and as a result of the joint effort of each individual they succeed in reaching the heavens. This is how Catalans want to build the Europe of the 21st century together with the other peoples of Europe".