World-Famous Sagrada Familia Says Access To Church Limited Amid Mass Protests In Barcelona

World-Famous Sagrada Familia Says Access to Church Limited Amid Mass Protests in Barcelona

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, the world-famous Roman Catholic church and major tourist attraction in central Barcelona, announced on Friday that it could not guarantee access to people wishing to enter it due to a large group of Catalan pro-independence demonstrators blocking its entrance

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, the world-famous Roman Catholic church and major tourist attraction in central Barcelona, announced on Friday that it could not guarantee access to people wishing to enter it due to a large group of Catalan pro-independence demonstrators blocking its entrance.

Spain's semi-autonomous Catalonia region, as well as other cities in Spain, have been engulfed in mass protests since Monday after the Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan independence leaders to lengthy prison terms. On Friday, thousands of protesters continue marching to Barcelona from other Catalan cities to join demonstrators in the region's capital, amid a general strike in the region.

"Due to a group of protesters currently stationed in front of the Basilica, blocking the entrance, we can't ensure visitors will have access to the grounds. ... The Sagrada Família will remain open as long as we can guarantee visitors' safety and a quality experience," the church tweeted.

It added that it hoped the situation would normalize as soon as possible and that it would post updates to its website and social media.

The Sagrada Familia is one of the most visited landmarks in Barcelona with over 2.8 million visitors annually.

On Monday, Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan independence leaders to prison terms ranging from nine to 13 years over their involvement in an unauthorized independence referendum in 2017. Since then, Spain, and particularly the semi-autonomous region, has been engulfed in violent mass protests, with both police and protesters receiving injuries in clashes. Nearly 100 people have been detained so far, with hundreds more injured in the clashes.