Nearly 1 Million Protest Killing in Spain

Nearly a million people took to the streets here Thursday to protest the slaying of a loved and respected former government minister--the 21st killing blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA this year.

Behind a banner proclaiming, “Catalonia for peace. ETA no,” Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, opposition Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and dozens of other politicians from across the country marched to protest the shooting of 63-year-old Ernest Lluch on Tuesday.

Police initially estimated the crowd size at 100,000, but Barcelona City Hall later upped the estimate to 900,000. The sea of people, many carrying small “ETA no” placards, swarmed along seven blocks from downtown Barcelona’s Paseig de Gracia to Plaza Catalunya.

“Fascism has always claimed victory with death over intelligence. Today many of us have come out to proclaim that we are on the side of life,” radio journalist Gemma Nierga said. Lluch was a regular guest on her popular chat show.

“Ernest would have tried to have talked to the person who killed him,” she said. “Those of you who have it in your power, please talk.”

The late politician’s three grown daughters later took the platform holding a banner that read, “Dialogue now.”

Lluch, who served as health minister from 1982 to 1986, was gunned down in the basement of his apartment building in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia region, 250 miles east of Basque country.

There was no claim of responsibility, but officials blamed ETA, short for Basque Homeland and Freedom, which has admitted killing about 800 people since 1968 in its campaign for independence. The group has already claimed 20 deaths across Spain since ending a 14-month cease-fire last December.

After leaving politics, Lluch worked as an economics professor at the University of Barcelona. A newspaper columnist and TV and radio show guest, he pushed for dialogue to resolve the Basque conflict and was an outspoken opponent of ETA.