Catalans protest against mandate for more Spanish in schools

Thousands of Catalans have taken to the streets of Barcelona to protest against a court decision that mandates that 25% of all school subjects be taught in Spanish and reduces the still predominant use of the local Catalan language in classrooms

BARCELONA, Spain -- Thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to protest against a court decision that mandates that 25% of all school subjects be taught in Spanish, reducing the still predominant use of the local Catalan language in classrooms.

Demonstrators say this would threaten their cherished educational system, which has helped bring Catalan back to common use after it had been suppressed during the 20th-century dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco.

“It is not proper of a democracy that a court invalidates an educational system that is supported by society and its parliament,” said Òscar Escuder, president of Platform for the Language, a grassroots group that promotes the use of Catalan who joined the march. “According to our polls, 82% of Catalans support” the current system.

The renewed defense of the Catalan language also promises to galvanize the region's separatist movement that has been struggling to maintain its unity. Several marchers carried pro-independence flags, and the movement's leaders were in attendance.