Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont will today defy the Spanish government’s deadline to hand himself in to the authorities in Madrid.
A European arrest warrant is expected to be issued against the 54-year-old. His lawyer in Belgium says his client intends to fight any extradition request but does not intend to file for asylum in the country.
It comes as Nazi salutes and jeers greeted Catalan politicians as they arrived in Madrid to hand themselves in to police yesterday.
The shocking scenes unfolded at the city’s airport. An elderly woman was filmed repeatedly performing the Franco-era salute while police struggled to contain the angry crowd.
Nazi salutes and jeers greeted Catalan politicians as they arrived in Madrid to hand themselves in to police yesterday
Anger: Catalan politicians including Joaquim Forn (right) faced a barrage of abuse from people waving Spanish flags as they arrived in Madrid
A European arrest warrant is expected to be issued against 54-year-old Carles Puigdemont (pictured)
This morning, Spain’s supreme court suspended the cases of the sacked Catalan politicians who turned themselves in this morning until Thursday November 9.
The development was due to a request from the defence lawyers for more time to work on the case due to the pressurised nature of the circumstances.
The politicians are expected to return to Catalonia later today, on condition that they remain based at a nominated address and are watched by police.
Before facing the courts, ousted deputy leader Oriol Junqueras tweeted: ‘With humility, resolve, bravery and courage, we begin a historic journey! We will win freedom.’
A sombre Mr Junqueras arrived at the national court at 8.10am today, wearing a yellow ribbon in his lapel by way of protest.
Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Barcelona’s Sant Jaume square today to protest against the legal action being taken against Catalan politicians.
The boisterous pro-independence crowd waved Catalan flags and shouted ‘freedom’ and ‘Puigdemont is our president’.
They also chanted in support of the separatist activists Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, known as the ‘two Jordis’, who are currently in a Spanish prison on charges of sedition.
The pair was arrested after organising a demonstration intended to hinder a police investigation in Barcelona in the run-up to the referendum on October 1.
Artur Mas, a former President of Catalonia, talks to journalists outside the national court in Madrid, Spain. Ousted Catalan politicians began arriving at two Spanish courts in Madrid on Thursday to face possible charges of rebellion for having declared the region’s independence
Fired Catalan Cabinet members arrive at the national court in Madrid, Spain. From left to right are, Joaquim Forn, Dolors Bassa i Coll, Raul Romeva, Carles Mundo, Jordi Turull, Meritxell Borras and Josep Rull. Some of the 14-member ousted Catalan cabinet were expected to appear before a judge in Madrid on Thursday for questioning as part of a rebellion probe
Fired Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras was among those appearing at court today
Protesters also gathered outside Catalan government buildings elsewhere in the city while cars sounded their horns in support.
So far, unionists have not staged a counter-protest, a development that could spark violence. Just two police vans were seen in the square.
Officers told MailOnline that an estimated 700-800 people are currently participating in the demonstration, with the possibility of more arriving later this afternoon.
The Catalan police continued to be undermined by Madrid in the aftermath of the declaration of independence, with national police taking over some of their high profile investigations.
The Spanish government was alarmed by the Catalan police’s reluctance to clamp down on the referendum on 1 October.
Seven sacked Catalan politicians were en route to Madrid to turn themselves in today and others travelled to the Spanish capital last night to face the courts.
Mr Puigdemont and five of his closest ministers offered to be interviewed remotely from Brussels using videoconferencing software, claiming that they will not receive a fair trial in Spain.
It comes as it emerged that the Spanish national court will be resorting to the Franco-era criminal code to prosecute the former Catlan politicians, as the crimes of sedition and rebellion are not established in the country’s modern legislation.
Tensions: A man holds up a Spanish flag outside the national court in Madrid, Spain this morning
Artur Mas, a former President of Catalonia, walks outside the national court in Madrid, Spain this morning
The 1973 code addresses ‘crimes against the head of state, his deputy, high institutions of the nation and forms of government’.
In a statement, the fugitive Catalan politicians described the trial as politically motivated and draconian.
‘The disproportionate nature of the penalties demanded by the prosecutor, which are equivalent to crimes such as murder or terrorism, show we are facing a political trial,’ it said.
In the past, Mr Bekart has defended members of the terrorist group ETA in Belgium and successfully blocked their extradition, arguing that it would be unfair to imprison them far from their families.
Overall, the Spanish government is seeking to prosecute 20 former Catalan officials, and is intending to imprison 19 of them on charges of rebellion, sedition, embezzlement and other crimes.
The seven sacked Catalan politicians expected to give themselves up today, include Josep Rull, who courted the media spotlight when he tweeted a picture of himself at work as normal despite Spanish threats – with a selection of Tintin posters in the background, seen by some as a hint that Mr Puigdemont had fled to Belgium.
Local media reported that the strategy is coordinated, with the different former officials remaining in constant contact and agreeing their course of action. The ousted parliamentarians are to appear before magistrate Pablo Llarena at 9.30am today, local time.
Yesterday, two former Catalan officials, Anna Simó and Joan Josep Nuet, were accompanied by hundreds of supporters in Barcelona as they made the journey to Madrid to hand themselves in.
Security: Police vans arrive at the national court in Madrid ahead of the appearance of ousted Catalan politicians
Police officers check a manhole outside the national court in Madrid, Spain as part of a security operation
There were fears that they would suffer harassment by unionist hardliners on arrival in the Spanish capital and police were deployed to protect them.
Another three former Catalan officials, Carme Forcadell – who also shared a video of herself going to work on Monday – Lluís Guinó and Ramona Barrufet reportedly travelled to the Spanish capital by train.
Mr Puigdemont’s lawyer, Jaume Alonso Cuevillas, will also go to Madrid to organise the ousted Catalan politicians’ defence.
Mr Rull will be accompanied by the vice president Oriol Junqueras, as well as foreign minister Raül Romeva, official spokesman Jordi Turull, interior minister Joaquim Forn, justice minister Carles Mundó and Dolors Bassa, the employment secretary.
The three women and two men who will join Mr Puigdemont in refusing to travel to Madrid are health minister Toni Comín, culture secretary Lluís Puig, agriculture minister Meritxell Serret, housing minister Meritxell Borràs and Clara Ponsatí, education minister.
It came as Israel continued to resist Spanish pressured reused to condemn Catalonia’s declaration of independence – though it has not officially recognised it.
A poll published yesterday, which was the first since Mr Puigdemont’s abscondment to Brussels, suggested that pro-independence parties are on track to win a majority in the snap elections called by Madrid for 21 December, though its presence in the chamber would be reduced.
The Catalan national assembly (ANC) was preparing for a day of demonstrations today as the politicians prepared to face judges in Madrid.
A large protest is planned to take place at the Plaza Sant Jaume in central Barcelona at 12pm, and activists will also gather at government buildings elsewhere in the city.