The first demonstrations started almost as soon as the verdicts were released. Members of the public have blocked numerous roads around Catalonia to protest the sentencing of nine pro-independence leaders to up to 13 years in prison. Similarly, thousands of people have blocked railways at major stations.

In Barcelona, rallies have blocked, in different places, key roads like avinguda Diagonal, Passeig de Gràcia, Paral·lel, Via Laietana, la Rambla, Via Augusta, Gran Via, plaça d’Espanya, Travessera de les Corts, Ronda Literal, avinguda Roma and Marina, Diputació and Balmes streets.

Hundreds of students from the University of Barcelona's Diagonal campus, meanwhile, left class to take to the streets as soon as the verdict was released. They were responsible for some of the first major road blocks in the Catalan capital.

Roads closed

Outside of Barcelona, as of 12 noon, a number of key roads are closed: C-16 at Sallent, C-17 at Vic and Seva, C-31 at Verges, C-63 at Santa Coloma de Farners i Anglès, C-66 at Bisbal de l'Empordà, Gi634 at Verges, N-240 at Valls and N-II at Mataró. The closure of the C-17 has caused tailbacks of more than 10km (6 miles) in both directions.

In other places, vehicles are driving slowly on roads including the N-260 between Navata and Figueres and on the C-31 northbound at Palamós.

Students have also protested at Pont de Solsona, whilst those from FUB and UPC at Manresa have closed les Bases de Manresa. Tremp is seeing intermittent blocks, entrances to the city of Valls are blocked, as is access to Girona's pont Major.

The Catalan Transport Service has announced that around midday, some roads were being reopened.

Més de 2.000 persones tallen l'autovia A7 a Tarragona @324cat pic.twitter.com/0aX3TJW1Mn — Núria (@NuriaSabate) March 25, 2018

Railways blocks

As for the rail network, operator Adif reports that various Rodalies lines have been blocked. Line R1, for example, was blocked for a time by protesters between Girona and Flaçà.

#INFO Tren Figueres 9:52 - L'Hospitalet 12:49 aturat a Celrà per la presència de manifestants a zona de vies. @rg1cat — Rodalies Catalunya (@rodalies) October 14, 2019​

Public called to the airport

At 1pm local time, the platform Tsunami Democràtic called supporters to head to Barcelona-El Prat airport to "stop its activity". They say that "they'll try to prevent us from doing it and only with #TheStrengthOfThePeople will we manage it!"

Ha arribat l'hora de fer sentir la nostra veu al món!



Objectiu: aturar l'activitat de l'Aeroport de Barcelona



Ens ho intentaran impedir i només amb #LaForçaDeLaGent ho aconseguirem! pic.twitter.com/wy7AunxyEh — Tsunami Democràtic (@tsunami_dem) October 14, 2019