The crowd, including regional political figures, waved pro-independence flags and chanted secession slogans in a show of force as they accompanied Forcadell from the local parliament to a regional court today.
A leading figure in the independence movement, Forcadell is under investigation for allegedly disobeying Spain's Constitutional Court by allowing the parliament to approve a resolution expressing its intent to press ahead with secession.
Catalan authorities promise to bring about independence next year but Spain says it will not happen. Polls show Catalonia's 7.5 million residents are equally divided on breaking from Spain.