[mattnewton]

The south was allowed to assemble, talk and vote on it, but the north didn't recognize the secession as legitimate. Those are separate issues.

[JumpCrisscross]

Catalonia has been allowed to discuss. It’s just the referendum, as I understand it, that is being banned. I’m trying to think what would happen if California passed an independence referendum whose results were then nullified by the Supreme Court.

[nsnick]

So they can talk about independence but not vote on it?

[euyyn]

Independence would be a modification of the Spanish Constitution, which can be voted on.