More than 500 people gathered on 23 October 2016 at the doors of the Monastery of Sijena to demand the return of the assets that remained in Catalonia.
According to Aragón Digital, on 23 October 2016, more than 500 people gathered at the doors of the Monastery of Sijena to call for the return of the artworks that were still in Catalonia and the enforcement of judicial rulings.
The call originated from the Comarca of Los Monegros and received unanimous support from all groups in the Comarcal Council. Institutional representatives, associations, and residents from various towns in the region and other parts of Aragón attended.
The then mayor of Villanueva de Sijena and regional vice president, Ildefonso Salillas, noted that the event conveyed a message of unity:
“a clear message of unity around the defence of Aragonese heritage”
Some pieces had already returned to the monastery. The then president of the region, Judith Budiós, recalled that 51 of the 97 assets claimed had been recovered, leaving 44 artworks still in Catalonia.
“I hope this unity will be productive and we can count on the return of our heritage”
The parties present included PSOE, PP, PAR, and CHA, who all agreed on demanding compliance with judicial resolutions. The spokesperson for the PP in the Comarcal Council, Rafael Uriol, stated:
“in a rule of law, judicial rulings are enforced and bind everyone”
The spokesperson for CHA, Chusé Rozas, concluded his speech with a slogan: “Without backing down and going for the assets”.
The then Director General of Heritage of the Government of Aragón, Ignacio Escuín, also attended, announcing that the dates for the opening of the monastery to showcase the 51 recovered pieces would be revealed that same week.
The day ended with the reading of a manifesto in favour of the restitution of the artistic treasure of Sijena, which had already gathered more than 2,500 endorsements online.
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