As it happened | Protests in Catalonia against Spanish Cabinet meeting

[Scroll down to read this morning’s live blog]

The central government’s Cabinet meeting was held today in Barcelona, amid protests throughout Catalonia at what pro-independence supporters called “a provocation” by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Despite efforts of demonstrators to cut off roads and freeways, the meeting went ahead as planned, and afterwards government ministers announced a number of symbolic measures for the region, such as renaming Barcelona airport Josep Tarradellas, in honor of a former premier who was exiled to France during the Franco era.

Thousands of police officers were on the streets this morning to deal with the protests called by groups such as the so-called Committee for the Defense of the Republic (CDR). There were a number of incidents during the morning, prompting police to charge against demonstrators, and make at least 11 arrests.

The protests come a day after Sánchez and Catalan premier Quim Torra agreed to work on “effective dialogue” at a private meeting in Barcelona. In a joint press release, the leaders said they were committed to finding a “political proposal that is widely supported by the Catalan people.” They agreed that there was a “conflict about the future of Catalonia” and while they accepted there are “notable differences on its origin, character and path to resolution,” promised to move forward through dialogue.