Ex-Catalunya president stands trial over informal 2014 independence referendum as 40,000 supporters gather outside court

FORMER regional president of Catalunya Artur Mas said he 'would do it all again' and 'has no regrets' as he entered the High Court of Justice yesterday (Monday) to face trial for calling an independence referendum against the wishes of the Spanish government.

Mas called residents and citizens to the polls on November 9, 2014 in an unofficial and non-binding vote – a move that could lead to his being banned from holding public office for a decade.

Deputy regional president Joana Ortega and ex-education minister for Catalunya Irene Rigau are also accused of sedition, disobedience, embezzlement – for the money used to fund the informal referendum – and perverting the course of justice.

At least 40,000 people gathered outside the court to support Mas and his ministers, shouting, “Not one step back;” “You're not alone,” and “Independence.”

Mas took full political responsibility for the public opinion poll two years ago, but says he does not regret doing so for a moment and would have no qualms about repeating the exercise.

The former regional leader says the vote was not binding and was merely aimed at finding out what the people of Catalunya thought.

Chairwoman of Catalunya's regional Parliament, Carme Forcadell, says the case against Mas, Ortega and Rigau is 'a big mistake' which should 'never have happened'.

“Voting can never be a crime,” she insisted.

Constitutional Court magistrate Adela Asua says she does not expect judges to remove Catalunya's autonomous governing status – one held by all of Spain's 17 regions individually – nor ban the politicians involved in the referendum from exercising as such.

She says 'very extraordinary circumstances' would be needed before such drastic action was taken.

Asua pointed out that she is from the Basque Country, where secession pressure has historically been 'of a much more atrocious nature' and judges still did not apply such harsh sanctions.

Although she says she is 'concerned' about these 'manifestations' of independence which have been ongoing for some time, she trusts that despite the hue and cry, in the end it will be resolved 'using resources in keeping with a democracy' such as 'law and dialogue'.