High Court judge, José María Vázquez Honrubia, was forced to acquit sixteen Catalan Republican protesters yesterday who burned photos of King Juan Carlos I in Girona on September 22nd last year after prosecutors reduced the charge against them from insulting the crown to causing public disorder - a minor offence that does not fall within the remit of the High Court.

Earlier, the protesters told the court that they had burned the photos in protest at the arrests nine days previously of Jaume Roura and Enric Stern, also for burning photos of the Spanish royal family.

Royal photo burners each fined €2,730 euros
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Jaume Roura Caparellas and Enric Stern Taulats were each sentenced to pay fines of €2,730 euros for burning photographs of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at an anti-monarchy protest outside Girona University to coincide with a royal visit on the 13th September.

The two defendants got away with speaking Catalan throughout this morning's hearing although the courtroom secretary does not speak the language and was therefore unable to record any statements made by either.

The two youths, who were accompanied by a large crowd of relatives, friends and supporters gathered outside the High Court building in Madrid where this morning's hearing took place, both pleaded guilty, although their lawyer, Bernet Salellas, justified their action as "an exercise in freedom of expression whereby they wanted to demonstrate their rejection of the monarchy." Mr Salellas also confirmed that his clients would be appealing against the fines.

19 other people arrested for burning royal images at a demonstration held at the scene of the original protest in support of the two defendants on the 22nd September, are waiting to find out if they will also be charged.