Hundreds of protesters have gathered in the centre of Barcelona after police raided Catalan government offices and arrested officials in a bid to halt the banned independence referendum.
The demonstrators waved the red-and-yellow Catalan flag and chanting ‘Occupying forces out’ and ‘Where is Europe?’ as tension mounted over the October 1 poll, which has been ruled illegal by Spain’s constitutional court.
‘The Spanish state has by all rights intervened in Catalonia’s government and has established emergency rule,’ Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said in a televised address.
‘We condemn and reject the anti-democratic and totalitarian actions of the Spanish state.’
Protesters have taken to the streets of Barcelona chanting Occupying forces out’ and ‘Where is Europe’ as tensions mount in Catalonia
Demonstrators clashed with police, who have stepped up their efforts to thwart the independence referendum due to take place on October 1
State police arrested Catalonia’s junior economy minister Josep Maria Jove in their first raid of government offices in the region, Catalan government sources said, in operation that also targeted several regional government departments.
A dozen high-ranking local officials were arrested, La Vanguardia newspaper said.
The police confirmed they were carrying out raids connected with the banned referendum, but did not give details.
Among the the protesters outside the government office in Barcelona, was Carlos, a 47-year-old taxi driver, who said: ‘We’re here so they know they can’t do whatever they want.’
Catalonia’s regional president, Carles Puigdemont, claimed that the Spanish government has established emergency rule
Parts of the centre of Barcelona where regional government offices are located were brought to a standstill by the protests
Police efforts to stop the referendum, which the central government says is illegal, have intensified in recent days as the wealthy northeastern region shows no signs of halting it.
Acting under court orders, police have raided printers, newspaper offices and private delivery in a search for campaign literature, instruction manuals for manning voting stations, and ballot boxes.
Up to nine million ballot papers due to be used in the vote were seized in the town of Bigues, about 28 miles north of Barcelona.
The Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis has claimed Catalan separatists are using ‘Nazi’ tactics to intimidate their opponents.
‘These people actually are taking some Nazi attitudes because they are putting up posters with the faces of mayors who are resisting their call to participate in this charade,’ Mr Dastis said.
He also said ‘referendums are a weapon of choice of dictators’ referring to the two the late Spanish leader General Francisco Franco conducted before the country returned to democracy after his death in 1975.
A protestor is arrested at an office of the Unipost delivery company’s office in the town of Terrasa. Police raided offices of the company seize ballot boxes, voting papers and leaflets
Mr Dastis was speaking in an interview in New York, where he is attending a meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Hundreds of Catalan mayors have been summoned to answer questions on why they have backed the banned referendum appeared before the state prosecutor on Tuesday amid cheers and chants from supporters.
Marc Solsona, mayor of the town of Mollerussa, one of nearly 750 mayors facing charges of civil disobedience, abuse of office and misuse of public funds said ‘voting is not a crime,’ as he left the state prosecutor’s office in Barcelona.
Solsona smiled, kissed and gripped hands with dozens of clapping supporters gathered outside the state prosecutor’s office as he entered to chants of ‘You are not alone’.
A supporter of Catalans independence holding a flag of the region, where a ballot for on breaking away from Spain will be held on October 1.
Mayor of the town of Mollerussa Marc Solsona (centre) one of nearly 750 mayors facing charges of civil disobedience, said he was committed to the referendum
A man suspected of supporting the Catalan independence referendum is grabbed by police. Polls show a minority of people in the region when to break away from Spain.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is a supporter of Catalan independence and spoke at a separatists rally earlier this year
‘I’m just the mayor and I have to serve my people. I am committed to the people being able to vote on October 1 in accordance with the law passed by the Catalan parliament and what happens to me is not important,’ he said.
Pensioner Angel Tena, 63, who had travelled to Barcelona to support the mayor said: ‘We consider ourselves privileged to have a mayor who represents the townspeople above any other interests.’
Spain’s Guardia Civil police has begun searching several headquarters in Barcelona of Catalonia’s regional government, a Catalan government spokesman said.
Separately, police continued their search for ballot boxes, voting papers and campaign leaflets on Wednesday, raiding the offices of Spain’s biggest private delivery company Unipost in the Catalan city of Terrassa, Spanish media reported.
After a series of rulings from the Constitutional Court decreed the vote illegal, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is imposing financial curbs on the regional administration and has promised tougher sanctions still if officials refuse to back down.
Although polls show less than half of Catalonia’s 5.5 million voters want self-rule, most in the wealthy northeastern region want the chance to vote on the issue.