More than 150 people gathered in front of Montreal's Spanish consulate Saturday to express their solidarity with the Catalan independence movement.
Organizers also denounced what they describe as the Canadian government's timid response to the intensifying Spanish crackdown ahead of a planned Oct. 1 referendum.
The Spanish government has increased its suppression of the independence vote with the arrests of a dozen regional officials Wednesday and the seizure of 10 million ballot papers.
Regional government officials, including Catalonia's president, so far have vowed to ignore a constitutional court order to suspend the referendum on Catalan independence from Spain.
The rally in Montreal was organized by a Quebec sovereigntist group and was attended by several separatist politicians, including the leaders of the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois.
Others in the crowd said they weren't Quebec separatists, but were present because they believe the Catalan government has the right to consult its population.
