KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
Catalunya separatists and Mossos leaders arrested
17/10/2017
TWO of Catalunya's leading separatist campaigners have been jailed and the chief of the regional police force, or Mossos d'Esquadra, taken into custody and then released with charges.
Òmnium Cultural's leader Jordi Cuixart (pictured left) and the Catalán National Assembly (ANC)'s boss Jordi Sànchez (pictured right) are facing possible charges of sedition and have been denied bail.
Josep Lluís Trapero, head of the Mossos, has been released but with his passport confiscated, a ban on leaving the country and the requirement to report to the court every fortnight.
Chief Intendant Teresa Laplana was also arrested last night (Monday) but has now walked free, although the prosecution is calling for her to be remanded in custody subject to a €40,000 bail release.
Sra Laplana and Sr Trapero are accused of failing to allow authorities into Parliament over September 20 when high-ranking regional economy ministry members linked to the independence strategy were arrested.
Sànchez and Cuixart are accused of 'promoting a siege' on the Guardia Civil when they tried to prevent the banned referendum on October 1, as well as 'encouraging public disobedience' and 'preventing officers from carrying out their duties' during the September 20 protests.
Cuixart and Sànchez (pictured) remained at the front of the protest outside the economy ministry throughout the day, attempting to negotiate with the Guardia Civil whilst egging on and leading the crowds, 'inciting them to remain' and 'giving them orders'.
As well as the September 20 protests themselves, the judge says the same WhatsApp accounts used to 'promote the siege' on the ministry were also employed on the referendum day to 'call participants and encourage them to stay put' in polling stations and to put up resistance when police entered.
Cuixart is also accused of disobedience to authority after snatching back posters advertising the referendum – confiscated from his car in Badalona (Barcelona province) – from a Guardia Civil vehicle when the officer refused to return them.
The judge says Cuixart and Sànchez published messages on social media urging protesters to 'stop the Guardia Civil' on referendum day.
Regional president Carles Puigdemont reacted furiously to the arrests, saying Cuixart and Sànchez were basically being taken into custody and charged with 'holding and supporting a demonstration'.
He referred to them as 'political prisoners'.
All the opposition members in Catalunya's regional Parliament – with the exception of the right-wing PP and centre-right Ciudadanos – even those, such as the socialists, who are against the referendum have condemned the arrests, saying they are 'out of proportion'.
Related Topics
TWO of Catalunya's leading separatist campaigners have been jailed and the chief of the regional police force, or Mossos d'Esquadra, taken into custody and then released with charges.
Òmnium Cultural's leader Jordi Cuixart (pictured left) and the Catalán National Assembly (ANC)'s boss Jordi Sànchez (pictured right) are facing possible charges of sedition and have been denied bail.
Josep Lluís Trapero, head of the Mossos, has been released but with his passport confiscated, a ban on leaving the country and the requirement to report to the court every fortnight.
Chief Intendant Teresa Laplana was also arrested last night (Monday) but has now walked free, although the prosecution is calling for her to be remanded in custody subject to a €40,000 bail release.
Sra Laplana and Sr Trapero are accused of failing to allow authorities into Parliament over September 20 when high-ranking regional economy ministry members linked to the independence strategy were arrested.
Sànchez and Cuixart are accused of 'promoting a siege' on the Guardia Civil when they tried to prevent the banned referendum on October 1, as well as 'encouraging public disobedience' and 'preventing officers from carrying out their duties' during the September 20 protests.
Cuixart and Sànchez (pictured) remained at the front of the protest outside the economy ministry throughout the day, attempting to negotiate with the Guardia Civil whilst egging on and leading the crowds, 'inciting them to remain' and 'giving them orders'.
As well as the September 20 protests themselves, the judge says the same WhatsApp accounts used to 'promote the siege' on the ministry were also employed on the referendum day to 'call participants and encourage them to stay put' in polling stations and to put up resistance when police entered.
Cuixart is also accused of disobedience to authority after snatching back posters advertising the referendum – confiscated from his car in Badalona (Barcelona province) – from a Guardia Civil vehicle when the officer refused to return them.
The judge says Cuixart and Sànchez published messages on social media urging protesters to 'stop the Guardia Civil' on referendum day.
Regional president Carles Puigdemont reacted furiously to the arrests, saying Cuixart and Sànchez were basically being taken into custody and charged with 'holding and supporting a demonstration'.
He referred to them as 'political prisoners'.
All the opposition members in Catalunya's regional Parliament – with the exception of the right-wing PP and centre-right Ciudadanos – even those, such as the socialists, who are against the referendum have condemned the arrests, saying they are 'out of proportion'.
Related Topics
More News & Information
'BRAVE' servicemen and women who will spend Christmas overseas are 'making Spain proud', president Pedro Sánchez assured them during his annual festive message via video-call.
NEWLY sworn-in national president Pedro Sánchez is now starting the challenging task of building his cabinet among a very divided coalition, although several names from his previous tenure are tipped to be returning to...
A NEW and limited-edition €2 coin will be in circulation in Spain until the end of this year to mark the country's Council of Europe presidency 'shift', the Royal mint has revealed.