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Catalonia referendum: Spanish police target Catalan government Catalonia referendum: Spanish police target Catalan government
(about 1 hour later)
Spain's Guardia Civil police have detained a senior Catalan official and raided regional government ministries involved in organising a banned independence vote. Spain's Guardia Civil police have detained a dozen senior Catalan officials and raided regional government ministries involved in organising a banned independence vote.
Tensions were already high before the arrest of Josep Maria Jové, secretary-general of the Catalan vice presidency. Tensions were already high when Josep Maria Jové, number two in the Catalan vice presidency, and others were held.
Catalan leaders are defying a court order to halt the vote, condemned by the Madrid government as illegal.Catalan leaders are defying a court order to halt the vote, condemned by the Madrid government as illegal.
One official called for peaceful resistance to protect the buildings. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the state had been forced to act.
One Catalan leader called for peaceful resistance to protect the buildings.
"The time has come - let's resist peacefully; let's come out and defend our institutions," the president of the Catalan National Assembly, Jordi Sánchez, tweeted."The time has come - let's resist peacefully; let's come out and defend our institutions," the president of the Catalan National Assembly, Jordi Sánchez, tweeted.
'We will not allow it' Catalan Vice-President Oriol Junqueras accused Spanish police of attacking the region's institutions and therefore its citizens too. "We will not allow it," he said.
The economy, foreign affairs and presidency buildings were all targeted early on Wednesday, 11 days before the referendum. In Madrid, Catalan separatist MP Gabriel Rufián told the prime minister in parliament he should take his "dirty hands" off Catalonia's institutions, Efe news agency reported.
The detained official's boss, Catalan Vice-President Oriol Junqueras, accused Spanish police of attacking the region's institutions and therefore its citizens too. "We will not allow it," he said. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the economy ministry as the operation took place, chanting "We will vote" and surrounding the Guardia Civil cars stationed outside.
The night before, Spanish police discovered a mass of documents directly related to the banned vote. How Spanish authorities are cracking down
Catalan police officers, on patrol outside the building in Terrassa, scuffled with pro-secession protesters trying to block the street outside. Several ministries in Barcelona were raided on Wednesday, including the economy, foreign affairs, telecoms, social affairs and presidency buildings, 11 days before the planned referendum. The operation was a dramatic intensification of Spain's attempt to stop the vote taking place.
The Catalan government is trying to organise the 1 October referendum, in the face of determined resistance by the national government to prevent it going ahead. Police were searching for computer equipment and any documentation linked to the planned 1 October vote. The day before, they seized some 45,000 envelopes with the Catalan government's logo from a private delivery company in Terrassa, north-west of Barcelona.
Mr Rajoy said the regional government had been warned that they were destroying Spain's national sovereignty, "There's no democratic state in the world that would accept what these people are planning," he said. He urged Catalan President Carles Puigdemont to comply with the law and put his secessionist challenge into "reverse gear".
Spain's government backed up by police and courts
The Madrid government has been backed up by Spain's Constitutional Court, which suspended the referendum law passed by the Catalan parliament.The Madrid government has been backed up by Spain's Constitutional Court, which suspended the referendum law passed by the Catalan parliament.
Some 7.5 million people live in Spain's well-off north-eastern region. Although opinion polls have been rare, one survey commissioned by the Catalan government in July suggested that 41% of voters backed independence while 49% were opposed. Spain's national police has co-ordinated the raids. However, on Tuesday it has also had support from the regional Mossos d'Esquadra police force, which quelled a protest outside the Unipost delivery firm in Terrassa. Scuffles took place involving Catalan officers and pro-secession protesters.
Some 7.5 million people live in Spain's well-off north-eastern region. A majority of Catalans are thought to be in favour of having a vote. However, one survey commissioned by the Catalan government in July suggested that 41% of voters backed independence while 49% were opposed.
The Spanish government has also moved to take control of Catalonia's finances, in an attempt to stop public money being spent on the vote.
A deadline for the Catalan leadership to abandon the vote has run out, with Spain preparing to take over funding of most public services, including the payment of workers' salaries.
Stacks of boxes of envelopes foundStacks of boxes of envelopes found
One of the most important aims for the national authorities is to stop voting cards being sent out in the first place.One of the most important aims for the national authorities is to stop voting cards being sent out in the first place.
Among the documents seized in Terrassa were stacks of boxes containing some 45,000 envelopes with the Catalan government's logo. The envelopes were suspected of containing voting cards. Among the documents seized in Terrassa were boxes suspected of containing voting cards. In earlier raids, only posters and other promotional election literature had been found.
In earlier raids, only posters and other promotional election literature had been found.
A local judge in Terrassa authorised police to seize the envelopes and open one to assess whether a company official may have been involved in "misappropriating public money" for the 1 October vote.A local judge in Terrassa authorised police to seize the envelopes and open one to assess whether a company official may have been involved in "misappropriating public money" for the 1 October vote.
Up to 200 local people gathered outside the Unipost offices, placing flowers on police vehicles. For more than two hours they stopped a local judiciary official from entering the building. Catalan police eventually intervened to let the official through.
The mayors of three small Catalan towns appeared in court on Tuesday on suspicion of helping the vote take place.The mayors of three small Catalan towns appeared in court on Tuesday on suspicion of helping the vote take place.
Spanish prosecutors have opened an investigation into more than 700 local mayors who have backed the referendum. If voting does go ahead, it will take place in Catalonia's schools and municipal buildings.Spanish prosecutors have opened an investigation into more than 700 local mayors who have backed the referendum. If voting does go ahead, it will take place in Catalonia's schools and municipal buildings.
The Spanish government has also moved to take control of the region's finances, in an attempt to stop public money being spent on the vote.The Spanish government has also moved to take control of the region's finances, in an attempt to stop public money being spent on the vote.
A deadline for the Catalan leadership to abandon the vote has run out, with Spain preparing to take over funding of most public services, including the payment of workers' salaries.A deadline for the Catalan leadership to abandon the vote has run out, with Spain preparing to take over funding of most public services, including the payment of workers' salaries.
However, the vice-president of the Catalan government, Oriol Junqueras, went to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to appeal against the decision. Accusing the national government of irresponsible behaviour, he said he was confident the appeal would in effect suspend Madrid's move.However, the vice-president of the Catalan government, Oriol Junqueras, went to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to appeal against the decision. Accusing the national government of irresponsible behaviour, he said he was confident the appeal would in effect suspend Madrid's move.
The Catalan administration had all the resources it needed to meet its obligations, he said.The Catalan administration had all the resources it needed to meet its obligations, he said.