This was the night of September 29, 2017 when hundreds of people spontaneously organized in my Barcelona square to defend democracy.

Let me tell you about #CDRs (Committees of the Defense of the Republic). They were born just before the October 1st, 2017 Catalan independence referendum.

The Catalan government, with the mandate of the majority of the Parliament democratically-elected in the highest turnout elections in Catalonia’s history, had promised its people a referendum on independence…

That was after many years of negotiating a better relationship with Spain (which repeatedly went back on its word, not complying with and overturning key agreements), demanding a referendum in Spanish Congress, non-official referenda etc.

The Spanish government has been unwavering in its refusal to let Catalans decide, and even to listen to their concerns. Just the other day, the Spanish president reiterated that he will NEVER [sic] negotiate with Catalonia.

So the Catalans have organized, strictly non-violently, mobilizing, debating, gathering support, and choosing through democratic elections the leaders that will let them exercise their right to self-determination.

Once the Catalan Parliament voted to hold a referendum on independence the Spanish Government reacted by threatening pollworkers with massive fines, arresting government officials, confiscating posters that said “Yes” and “Democracy”…

…confiscating more than ten million ballot papers, and searching everywhere (fruitlessly) for the ballot boxes. Anything necessary to stop a VOTE. When they decreed that possible polling sites should be sealed the Friday before the vote…

…Catalans of all ages, political parties, origins, and languages began to spontaneously gather — using social media. I heard about a meeting in my square on Thursday, Sept 28. When I got there there were 400 people.

These were just regular people from my neighborhood, people I had seen around but didn’t know, determined to defend democracy. There were no leaders. Just citizens. Just democrats. We organized into schools and exchanged phone numbers.

Friday we met with school authorities and PTA. We decided it was time for an all-weekend-long Back-to-School party, and we planned sports events, arts and crafts, late night movies and a huge paella for Saturday.

This happened all over Catalonia. Go through my timeline and you will see football, volleyball and even paper-scissors-rock tournaments. These are the #CDRs: neighborhood people with their kids, hanging out at schools, defending democracy.

Most of the schools stayed open over the weekend and were then used by Catalans to exercise their right to vote on October 1st. 92 of them were attacked by Spanish Police with more than 1000 injuries to voters.

I’m explaining all of this because today, the Spanish Government is arresting members of the #CDRs (now defending the Republic) who have blocked roads and opened tollbooths to protest the arrest of our democratically-elected President…

They’ve arrested them on charges of terrorism. For non-violently blocking a road. For peaceful, democratic protest. It is not terrorism to block a road. It is not terrorism to make your voice heard non-violently.

It is not democratic to arrest non-violent activists for terrorism. Democracy is not terrorism. Protest is not terrorism. Opening tollbooths is not terrorism. There is no terror, except from a State that knows it cannot silence a people.

War is not peace. Freedom is not slavery. Ignorance is not strength. #FreedomforCatalonia #Democracy

We speak up all together now, or we will all be silent together tomorrow. #NoFear

#Peace