Spanish national police have stormed ministries and buildings belonging to Catalonia's regional government to put a stop to the region's independence referendum.
The Guardia Civil, which acts with the authority of Madrid's interior ministry, is searching for evidence regarding the planned October 1 referendum on Catalan independence, which Spain's Constitutional Court has declared illegal.
Peaceful protesters shout "We will vote" to Spanish Guardia Civil officers in front of Dept of Economy #Catalonia pic.twitter.com/zXjJoEA1Y3
— Liz Castro (@lizcastro) September 20, 2017
In the early hours of the morning armed officers arrived at various Catalan ministries, including the economy department, foreign affairs department, and social affairs department, Spanish media reports.
At least twelve Catalan officials are said to have been arrested, including the chief aide to Catalonia's deputy prime minister, Josep Maria Jove. The arrests come as the mayors of Catalan towns who back the referendum were yesterday questioned by state prosecutors.
Spanish police on Wednesday also seized millions of ballot papers in Catalonia due to be used for an independence referendum which has been banned by Madrid, a source close to the case said.
The Catalan president has accused the Spanish government of effectively suspending the region’s autonomy and declaring a de facto state of emergency.
Demonstration to claim against the arrest of 10 senior members of the Catalan gov.! Spanish gov. is criminalizing democracy in Catalonia! pic.twitter.com/tRd82GoQ4m
— Repression@Catalonia (@RepressionAtCAT) September 20, 2017
Carles Puigdemont described the raids as “a co-ordinated police assault” that showed that Madrid “has de facto suspended self-government and applied a de facto state of emergency” in Catalonia.
Speaking after an emergency ministerial meeting, Puigdemont vowed the poll would go ahead, adding: “We reaffirm our peaceful response. The Spanish government has crossed a red line and become a democratic disgrace.”
The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, tweeted: “Searching public bodies and arresting officials for political reasons is a democratic scandal. We defend Catalan institutions.”
Tensions escalated
Tensions between Madrid and Barcelona have escalated over recent days as the government of the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, strives to ensure that the controversial independence vote does not take place on 1 October.
On Wednesday morning, Spain’s interior ministry announced it was cancelling leave for all the Guardia Civil and national police officers tasked with preventing the referendum. In a statement, it said the affected officers would have to be available between 20 September and 5 October, but added the period could be extended if necessary.
The raids come a day after the Guardia Civil confiscated referendum documents from the offices of a private delivery firm in the Catalan city of Terrassa. More than 1.5m referendum leaflets and posters have also been seized.
ITD workers stop Spain military police trying to arrest #Catalonia Innovation & Strategy Director in #BCN #CoupdEtatpic.twitter.com/HUe5MtoFsC
— David d'Enterria *X (@denterd) September 20, 2017
Police and judicial authorities gave no details of the operation, saying a judge had placed a secrecy order on it.
As news of the arrests emerged, protesters began to gather outside the ministry of economic affairs, and by mid-morning the crowd had swelled to more than 2,000, blocking Gran Via, one of Barcelona’s principal thoroughfares.
Over the past few days, police have ramped up their seizures of items that could be used in the referendum, including notifications which were about to be sent to Catalans selected to staff polling stations.
Madrid has also threatened to arrest mayors who facilitate the vote and has tightened its control over the region's finances.
Solidarity with Catalonia this evening at Belfast City hall. ✊ pic.twitter.com/P47rXZVC7n
— Ryan Carlin (@RyanCarlin) September 19, 2017
Separatist parties captured 47.6% of the vote in a September 2015 Catalan election which was billed as a proxy vote on independence, giving them a narrow majority of 72 seats in the 135-seat Catalan parliament.
Source: The Guardian, Independent, Reuters, AFP
