I went to the AUOB March for Independence in Barry

Back in 2020 I joined Yes Cymru, the independent movement for an Independent Wales. I'm still a member although the organisation has been through the mill and lost its edge a bit. However, I had yet to join in a March for Independence, so when I heard one was being organised for Barry I knew this was my chance to go along and take part. 

My friends Sara and Leanne have been to a few of these marches, with their kids, and they took me under their wing for the day.  We started out in the Indy Market looking at the various Annibyniaeth swag produced by a few different organisations. There were stalls from Plaid Cymru and the Green Party of Wales, as well as some social actions groups, the Felin Drafod think tank, face-painting for the kids, Barry Round Table selling hot dogs and burgers, other food vans and so on. 

I ended up buying a t-shirt and a cap and collecting lots of free stickers and a couple of badges. I also got given a Flemish flag by one of the members of the Flemish independence movement. There was a sizeable group of them there in an overall crowd that was estimated (by the police) at 5,000-7,000 people. 

After marching in a loop of Barry town centre, led by a large dragon puppet operated by someone inside it, we gathered in King Square for some short speeches. It got a bit warm on the march as the weather had turned surprisingly sunny (and I had a child on my shoulders for some of it!)

It being 'All Under One Banner' there were speeches from a couple of the political parties who were represented. But my favourite speaker was Anna Arque i Solsona, an independence campaigner from Catalonia. 

Anna made the point that there are millions of people in the regions across Europe that are seeking greater autonomy and independence, it's not just a few people in Cymru seeking annibyniaeth. I was also impressed by how willing she was to have a go at saying a few sentences in Cymraeg. There was also a video shown with people from independence movements across Europe - from Sardinia to the different regions in Spain to South Tyrol and one or two I wasn't able to place geographically - and I found that very inspiring. 

I've had several conversations with people over the past few years and the big question I get asked is 'Can Wales really survive on it's own'. But the way things are going in the UK, I'm not sure Wales can survive in the status quo. A couple of speakers referred to the UK as a failed state, and although that might be overstating it, it definitely feels like a failing state. The challenge is to generate enough hope that change can come and it will be change for the better.