27-04-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Barry: Thousands march through town for Welsh independence
The March for Independence was organised by YesCymru and AUOBCymru and was described as a "powerful show of unity and hope for a better future".
This event is part of a growing movement, with thousands having participated in similar marches across Wales, including in Caernarfon, Merthyr, Wrexham, Bangor, Swansea, Carmarthen, and Cardiff since 2019.
Barry, Wales' largest town with a significant political legacy, made its mark on this journey towards independence.
The march was followed by a rally in King Square, featuring speeches from former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, Catalan campaigner Anna Arqué i Solsona, political activist Kiera Marshall, Wales Green Party spokesperson Tessa Marshall, and singer-songwriter Eädyth Crawford.
Local councillor Mark Hooper acted as the MC, and the event also included live music from Emma Winter, known from the Welsh version of The Voice, Y Llais.
All speakers and performers, except the MC, were women, a first for a March for Independence.
Kiera Marshall, a 27-year-old activist from Swansea, said: "How can we afford not to be independent?
"The UK system keeps us poor, while our children go hungry and cold."
Leanne Wood said: "It's time to end our dependence.
"We have an opportunity to build an alternative to the failed economic model that serves the City of London while leaving crumbs for communities in Wales."
The Barry march follows a Redfield & Wilton poll commissioned by YesCymru, which revealed that 41 per cent of decided voters would vote for independence.
This figure rises to 72 per cent among 25 to 34-year-olds.
YesCymru chair Phyl Griffiths said: "What we've seen today in Barry is a reflection of the mood across Wales – people are ready for change, and independence is no longer a fringe idea.
"It's a serious, hopeful response to a broken system."
