By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID

Pro-independence protesters blocked roads in Barcelona as the Spanish Cabinet is set to hold a meeting in the city, according to local media on Friday.

Spanish news agency EFE reported that over 20 roads were blocked hours before the Cabinet meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The protests come after a call by the Committees for the Defense of the Republic (CDRs), a pro-independence protest group.

According to the Spanish daily El Pais, the protesters called for a strike in the train service, Renfe, and in postal services.

“University students are expected to join the protests with both Together for the Republic (Unis x la República) and Catalan Student Union (Sindicat d’Estudiants del Paisos Catalans) calling on students not to attend classes,” the daily reported.

Around 9,000 security forces were deployed to Barcelona ahead of the Cabinet meeting.

On Thursday, Spanish PM Sanchez met with Catalan leader Quim Torra and vowed for “effective dialogue”, to solve the political crisis.

According to El Pais, Spanish PM Sanchez’s decision to hold a Cabinet meeting in Barcelona is seen as “provocation” by pro-independence groups as the date coincides with the first anniversary of Dec. 21 regional elections called by the central government after Catalan powers were suspended.

Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont led a parliamentary session last year that saw separatist lawmakers vote for the region of Catalonia to declare independence from Spain.

Puigdemont and 12 other separatist leaders were officially charged with rebellion.