WATCH: Unified Spain rallies underway in Madrid and Barcelona

SUPPORTERS of a unified Spain are  holding rallies in Madrid and Barcelona following last weekend’s illegal referendum for Catalonian independence that is dividing the country.

Tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators are calling for dialogue between the central government and the autonomous Catalan region.

Under banners carrying the slogans ‘Let’s talk’ and ‘Spain is better than its leaders’ a huge flag was unfurled in Madrid’s Plaza de Colón before speakers took to the stage.

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Manifestación por la unidad de España en Colón, Madrid https://t.co/DYnsv4a4WJ

— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) October 7, 2017

Vivas a la Policía en la concentración de @denaes en Colón. “Está es nuestra Policía” pic.twitter.com/TXqS4uMq8E

— Daniel Basteiro (@basteiro) October 7, 2017

Miles de personas abarrotan la plaza de Colón en Madrid convocados por la @fdenaes para reivindicar la unidad de España #Cataluña pic.twitter.com/jbFG51rZNJ

— Fran Serrato (@FcoSerrato) October 7, 2017

Miles de personas en la manifestación por el diálogo en la plaza Sant Jaume de Barcelona https://t.co/efDKcE4gvw pic.twitter.com/mOfJqJWlM6

— El Español (@elespanolcom) October 7, 2017