Organisers of the rally, members of the Croatian Disabled Homeland Defence War Veterans (HVIDRA) association, called on the government and its officials to spare no effort to help Ante Gotovina, indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), in his defence before the UN war crimes tribunal and see that his case be transferred to the national judiciary.
The rally, which gathered not only residents of Split but also Croats from other parts of Croatia and from neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina, lasted about one hour. Participants dispersed peacefully and there were no incidents, the police reported.
Banners with slogans reading "Generals, we are with you!", "We belong to Ante and not to Stipe - Orahovica" and photos of Gotovina were noticed at the rally at Split's waterfront. One banner contained an insulting message to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte.
Almost all the time the gathered chanted "Ante, Ante!" and "Franjo, Franjo!", booing at the mention of any state or government official.
Addressing the rally, the leader of the local HVIDRA association, Zeljko Strize, said that veterans "are ashamed of the current government and its policy which curries favour with powerful world figures".
He also criticised some Catholic Church dignitaries for what he called a shift in their position and taking sides with the ruling policy.
Putting Gotovina on trial means that we are put on trial and his imprisonment is our imprisonment, Strize said.
Journalist Josip Jovic, accused by the ICTY of contempt of court for having revealed the identity of a protected witness, addressed the rally as well. He criticised the government for what he called servile behaviour.
Other speakers stressed that the rally should show that people did not give up their heroes and that the truth was on their side.
The rally was addressed by retired generals, and the general's brother, Boro Gotovina, and some lawyers from Gotovina's defence team appeared on the stage as well.
At the very beginning of the rally, Split Mayor Zvonimir Puljic and Split County Prefect Ante Sanader held brief speeches, during which they were booed.
The HVIDRA leadership organised a rally in Zagreb's main square also at noon on Sunday. The rally pooled about 500 people. The organisers read out a statement saying that the treatment of General Gotovina is "an example of injustice and gross act of revenge by those who cannot reconcile with the results of his brave struggle and an act of revenge by those who cannot reconcile with the establishment of free and independent Croatian state".
Gotovina was arrested last Wednesday at Tenerife after he had been on the run for four and a half years. He was flown to The Hague on Saturday and his initial appearance before the UN court is set for Monday.