[10][11] The estimated number of participants ranges widely, from 600,000 people quoted by some media,[12] statisticians such as Llorenç Badiella from the Autonomous University of Barcelona[13] or the delegation of the Spanish government in Catalonia[14][15][16] to 1.5 million according to Catalan public sources such as Barcelona's Municipal Police or Catalonia's Department of the Interior, with a maximum estimate of about 2 million according to the organizers.

[12] The city centre was crowded for hours and it was feared that the massive influx of people was going to bring mobile phone networks to a standstill.

A general election was held in Spain the following year in which the People's Party won an absolute majority with 187 of the 350 seats in the chamber.

Catalonia saw several local referendums for independence take place in hundreds of villages between 13 September 2009 and April 2011, with an overwhelming number of "yes" votes being cast.

An official ceremony was then held in Parc de la Ciutadella where, according to government spokesman Francesc Homs, "our national sentiment" and especially "the Catalan language, after the recent attacks" would be celebrated.

The event was led by playwright John Ollé and emceed by the previous director of the Catalan public TV, journalist Mònica Terribas.

Then, the town Capmany—symbolising the "fight against fire" after its comarca of Alt Empordà suffered a serious wildfire this summer—delivered the Catalan flag to President Artur Mas.

Portuguese singer Maria de Medeiros performed as guest artist, singing a poem by Ausiàs March, a Valencian medieval author.

The Government also commemorated several anniversaries, including those of Antoni Maria Alcover, Montsalvatge, Eduard Toldrà and Pere Calders.

The Popular Unity Candidates (CUP) and the Independentist Left went ahead with their own demonstration on 11 September and did not participate in the march in an official capacity, while allowing their members to join it if they wanted to.

Green cards had been printed in various publications prior to the demonstration and people were asked to bring them along, and to hold them up to vote "yes" to these questions.

The concert, which included the Pastora, Txarango and Brams bands, began at 7:30 pm with writer Màrius Serra as the host.