They came by bus, car and coach, bringing their children and dogs, draped in the flag of Catalonia and with their yellow ribbon symbol pinned proudly to their chests. Some marched with prams others drove their mobility scooters towards the park where Carles Puigdemont was due to speak.

Organisers claimed at least 50,000 Catalans had travelled the 1,200km to Brussels to bring the heart of the city’s European Union quarter to a standstill. Belgian media reported the number to be at least 20,000.

They marched en masse, some in mobility scooters, others in prams and several with dogs wearing Catalan flags, through the Brussels drizzle and past the headquarters of the European Commission.

“The weather is poor here,” said Joseph Teixidor, 42, a banker, “But the people are warm.”

Joseph, 42, his physiotherapist wife Laura Planes, 38, and their daughter Sara, 6, had driven for a total of 12 hours, with an overnight stop in France dividing the seven and five-hour stints behind the wheel.