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THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE have joined a march in Cardiff in favour of Welsh independence.
Campaigners carrying large flags and banners and wearing Wales football bucket hats paraded through the city centre led by a samba band.
The rally was organised by All Under One Banner Cymru (AUOB) and Yes Cymru who claim the UK Government in Westminster no longer has the best interests of Welsh people in mind.
There were concerns about how campaigners would get to the march given the effects of this weekend’s national rail strikes, but AUOB Cymru were still confident of a large turnout.
At the front of the march, and helping to carry a long sign that says “annibyniaeth”, meaning “independence”, was Plaid Cymru leader and Senedd member Adam Price, and ex-Plaid leader Leanne Wood.
Price told the PA news agency he believed marchers were buoyed by a report published yesterday claiming to debunk the idea that Wales is “too small and too poor to thrive as an independent nation”.
The head of YesCymru, Gwern Gwynfil, said he wanted the march to be a “loud and joyful celebration”.
Speeches and performances are taking place following the 1.5-mile march.
The line-up includes actor Julian Lewis Jones, who plays Boremund Baratheon in hit HBO series and Game Of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon.
Other speakers include former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley, with actress and novelist Ffion Dafis, singer Eadyth Crawford and Irish comedian Tadhg Hickey also due to make an appearance.
Fringe events have been organised to take place into the evening including an independence gig which will be held at live music venue The Globe.
A recent YouGov poll on behalf of ITV Wales and Cardiff University found over a fifth (24%) of Welsh voters would back an independent Wales in a hypothetical referendum.
Over half (52%) said they would vote against it while 14% said they did not know how they would vote.
A Cardiff Council worker told PA they believed there around 4,800 people on the march.
As speeches began in Windsor Place, Tadhg Hickey’s mention of Prime Minister Liz Truss elicited loud booing from the crowd.
Taking to the stage, Lewis Jones called the UK Government “the worst show on in the West End at the moment”.
He said: “We were the first colony of England and in some ways we are the last colony of England. But enough is enough.
“It’s time we stand up as a nation on our own two feet.
“We are big enough. We are strong enough. And we will fight for this.”
It’ll be tough for Wales to go it alone. There’s not much work over there as it is. It’ll be interesting to see what comes down the line…
@antisocialbarber: Confederation of Scotland, Ireland and Wales? UCN? The Union of Cektic Nations?
@antisocialbarber: I believe they could do it as a member of the EU.if I’m not mistaken,Wales has a population of nearly 4M which more than others EU states like Latvia, Lithuania and Cyprus…it would be a bit like Ireland before joining.i also have the feeling that if Wales or Scotland were to get their independence,the EU wouldn’t have any problems in speeding up the process to join.
@Frédéric Slimane: Spain might have other ideas about allowing breakaway UK countries to quickly join.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: sounds like a decent idea all the same. The shear scale of the task and politics of such a union would take a lifetime
@Frédéric Slimane: it’s probably the more sane directions to take. I can’t imagine the UK playing ball with any state trying to leave the union. Again it could take a lifetime
@Longlin: so I read, something to do with Catalonia??
@Frédéric Slimane: They can’t even apply to join the EU until they’re independent
@sean o’dhubhghaill: United Nations of the Craic sounds better.
- “All Under One Banner Cymru (AUOB) and Yes Cymru who claim the UK Government in Westminster no longer has the best interests of Welsh people in mind”
They never did, did they, since the UK govt = the English govt.
I think however that this will only be possible after Scottish independence and Irish unity, so this will likely take quite a long time if it happens at all. But I wish them all the best.
Are u having a laugh more loyal to the english crown than the english
Cooooooool. Full support here.
Union of Wales,Scotland and Northern Ireland maybe.All not ready yet to cast off the yoke of the oppressor.
@Laurence Cavanagh: Scotland begged to join the Union because it was bankrupt. It gets more per head of public spending than the rest of the U.K.
Good luck with that, no resources, no economy, loads of call centres
The tories have really annoyed nation that was hitherto loyal to the union.
have your say