Mass separatist protest in Brussels

Thousands of separatists have marched through the streets of Brussels to the European Parliament for the right to self-determination.

Several thousand European separatists, overwhelmingly Flemish but also Catalans, Scots and South Tyroleans have demonstrated in Brussels for the right to self-determination.

Under a forest of yellow flags emblazoned with black lions, Flemish separatists dominated the Sunday procession through the European Union's capital, from Parc du Cinquantenair near the European Commission's headquarters towards the European Parliament.

The crowd, which marched under a banner proclaiming "Europe, we'll vote for self-determination", numbered almost 3000 people, according to police.

Draped in their regional colours - red and yellow - the Catalans chanted for "independence" from Spain.

Regional leader Artur Mas has set the vote for November this year but Madrid has declared it illegal.

"We want to make our voices heard and expand our movement," Girault told Agence France-Presse.

Small groups of Scots due to vote in a referendum on independence from Britain in September also stood alongside South Tyroleans, Lombards, Corsicans and a handful of Bretons.

The demonstration was organised by the International Commission of European Citizens, a body representing the main separatist movements in Europe.


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Source: AAP

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