Separatists in Catalonia call for bank run

A pro-separatist movement in Catalonia called for a bank run on Thursday evening, according to reports Bloomberg. In a video that was shared almost five thousand times on Twitter, the makers called on everyone to withdraw their money from the bank on Friday morning between 8:00 and 9:00. The aim was to send a signal to Catalan banks that want to move their headquarters to a city outside Catalonia because of the uncertainty about a possible separation.

Banco Sabadell and La Caixa, two banks targeted by this action, said in a statement that there had been no irregularities at their bank branches at the indicated time on Friday. Since these Catalan banks announced their plans to relocate their headquarters earlier this month, their savings have actually increased, as many savers prefer to keep their money in a bank outside Catalonia for security reasons.

Demà, prioritàriament de 8 a 9 h, ves a un dels 5 principals bancs i retira la quantitat que vulguis en efectiu. Són els teus diners! pic.twitter.com/TqQUESFOZJ

— Assemblea Nacional (@assemblea) October 19, 2017

The action of the Catalan separatists could count on the support of the singer Lluis Llach. He called on all Catalans via twitter to withdraw the symbolic amount of €155 from the bank, a reference to Article 155 of the Spanish constitution. This article gives the Spanish Government the right to bring an autonomous community such as Catalonia under the direct control of the central government in Madrid.

Separatists in Catalonia call for bank run