Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Madrid today, Sunday, responding to a call from the conservative opposition in Spain to protest against a plan to pardon the leaders of the Catalan separatist movement.

The police estimated the number of participants in Plaza España at about 45,000 people, while the conservative People's Party led by Alberto Núñez Feijó claimed that the number of participants reached 70,000 people.

The pardon legislation presented by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, overcame initial hurdles in parliament. Several months are expected to pass before the legislation becomes law.

Feijó said that most Spanish citizens oppose the legislation, adding that the People's Party aims to save democracy during the opposition.

He shouted to the crowds, "No one will impose a state on us that we did not vote for," and the crowds responded, "Sánchez is a traitor," "Sánchez to prison," and "No to the pardon."

Sánchez had pledged to grant a pardon and made other concessions to the separatists in exchange for their support in a parliamentary vote in mid-November last year, which allowed him to form a government following an early election in July.