Thousands of people took to the streets of Barry on Saturday for the March for Independence(Image: Mark Lewis)

Over the weekend, more than 6,000 people took to the streets of Barry in a march for Welsh independence, sparking conversation among Wales Online readers. Supporters from all over Wales, some accompanied by their children, participated in the March for Independence, an event organised by YesCymru and AUOBCymru.

Since 2019, thousands have joined independence marches in various locations across Wales – including Caernarfon, Merthyr, Wrexham, Bangor, Swansea, Carmarthen and Cardiff. This time, it was Barry’s turn to host the march.

The organisers highlighted the town’s significant role in the Cymru Fydd movement for Welsh self-government in the 1890s.

Following the march, a rally was held in King Square, featuring speeches from supporters such as 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.

The rally, hosted by Vale of Glamorgan Plaid Cymru councillor Mark Hooper, also featured live music from Emma Winter, known from Y Llais, the Welsh version of The Voice.

In a first for the March for Independence, all speakers and performers – with the exception of the MC – were women.

However, people commenting on WalesOnline were sceptical that independence was viable. Tannerbanc said: “I am as proud as anyone to be Welsh but compared to the past most industry has been lost in Wales, do we generate enough wealth here (GDP) to pay for the public services that are demanded ? especially by those who do not contribute towards it. Unfortunately we are far too much a a public sector and benefits country, who do these people think pays for that ? They should travel across the PoW bridge now and then and see there are far more areas of prosperity there and they are subsidizing Wales. Then there is the issue of government, has the Senedd really benefited Wales ? I think most people would say no, the Senedd could hold a referendum to ask that question to know for sure?”

Andypandy60 adds: “Whilst being a great country to live in and especially living in the Vale of Glamorgan, it is not a place that can support itself. We are half the size of Scotland and we depend on financial support from Westminster, without that we would be a third world country. The Senedd has not done us any favours. As for 25 years Labour has had the monopoly. Next year in the elections, it will be interesting to see how well Reform and Plaid Cymru perform.

Barbarap states: “The clue is in the title United Kingdom which is what we need to be. Hopefully, to regain our place on the world stage. The money that has been spent on the Welsh assembly could fund face to face GP appointments and therefore relieve the amount of times A&E is being used.”

Boyo1958 says: “I am strongly for the language but not PC on the whole. Where is the money coming from to resolve the issues that the Senedd has created over the past years? With only 3 million people, it is not enough to run the country. By all means, protect and encourage more Welsh language uptake but otherwise forget Independence.”

Violentrevoltnow writes: “The Yes Cymru movement faces an uphill battle against a system that thrives on dependency, manipulation, and deception. Independence may sound empowering, but the reality is that the very industries sustaining the UK, those tied to crime, addiction, and poverty, are deeply entrenched and reliant on systemic dysfunction. Breaking away doesn’t eliminate these issues; it risks amplifying them within a smaller, less resilient framework.

“Devolved governments have already demonstrated the flaws in this path, struggling to manage the balance between autonomy and dependency. The public, driven by surface-level narratives, demands change without realizing they’re feeding the cycle that undermines true progress. Independence under these conditions isn’t liberation, it’s stepping deeper into a system designed to perpetuate control and dependency.”

Do you think that Wales would prosper if they gained independence? Join in the conversation HERE or in the comments below.