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Catalonia Police Chief Appears in Court Amid Sedition Investigation Catalonia Police Chief Appears in Court Amid Sedition Investigation
(35 minutes later)
BARCELONA, Spain — Catalonia’s police chief appeared in national court in Madrid on Friday to answer claims that his officers had failed to protect their Spanish colleagues during pro-independence demonstrations, an accusation that could lead to sedition charges. BARCELONA, Spain — Catalonia’s police chief appeared in Spain’s national court on Friday to answer claims that his officers had failed to protect their Spanish colleagues during pro-independence demonstrations, an accusation that could lead to sedition charges.
As he left the courtroom, the chief, Josep Lluís Trapero, said that he was “very satisfied” with his appearance before a judge, which occurred behind closed doors. He gave no further details. The hearing occurred behind closed doors, and as he left the courtroom, the chief, Josep Lluís Trapero, said that he was “very satisfied” with his appearance before a judge. He gave no further details.
Chief Trapero had been summoned by the national government in Madrid after officers from Catalonia’s autonomous police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, were accused of failing to assist Spanish police officers who were trapped for hours on Sept. 20 in a government building in Barcelona, the Catalan capital, while surrounded by tens of thousands of pro-independence demonstrators.Chief Trapero had been summoned by the national government in Madrid after officers from Catalonia’s autonomous police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, were accused of failing to assist Spanish police officers who were trapped for hours on Sept. 20 in a government building in Barcelona, the Catalan capital, while surrounded by tens of thousands of pro-independence demonstrators.
The Spanish officers were not injured, but protesters damaged police vehicles.The Spanish officers were not injured, but protesters damaged police vehicles.
The national court also summoned another Catalan police official, Teresa Laplana, and the leaders of two groups advocating Catalan independence — Jordi Sanchez of the Catalan National Assembly and Jordi Cuixart of Omnium Cultural — to explain their role in the protests. The national court also summoned another Catalan police official, Teresa Laplana, and the leaders of the two main Catalan pro-independence civil groups — Jordi Sanchez of the Catalan National Assembly and Jordi Cuixart of Omnium Cultural — to explain their role in the protests.
The four are expected to reappear in court in Madrid in the coming days, after a prosecutor presents new evidence. The four were expected to reappear in court in Madrid in the coming days, after a prosecutor presents new evidence.
The trapped Spanish officers had entered the building in Barcelona to detain a dozen Catalan officials and to confiscate documents and materials relating to an independence referendum that Spain had ordered suspended. The contentious vote was held anyway, this past Sunday, and spurred violent clashes between the Spanish police and Catalans that left hundreds injured, including dozens of officers. The Spanish officers had entered the building to detain a dozen Catalan officials and to confiscate documents and materials relating to an independence referendum that Spain had ordered suspended. The contentious referendum vote was held anyway, this past Sunday, and spurred violent clashes between the Spanish police and Catalans that left hundreds injured, including dozens of officers.
The government in Madrid says the national police had acted proportionally to the provocations, but its representative in Barcelona offered an apology on Friday for the injuries. The government in Madrid has maintained that the national police acted proportionally, but its representative in Barcelona, Enric Millo, offered the first apology on Friday for the injuries.
Separatist lawmakers have vowed to turn the results of the referendum into a unilateral declaration of independence next week, despite an order from the Constitutional Court to suspend the parliamentary session. Knowing that people were hit, Mr. Millo said on Catalan television, he could “only say sorry.”
Friday morning, Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia’s separatist leader, asked to appear before lawmakers on Tuesday, a day later than initially scheduled, to circumvent the court’s order. Separatist lawmakers have vowed to turn the results of the referendum into a unilateral declaration of independence next week, despite an order from Spain’s Constitutional Court to suspend the parliamentary session.
On Friday morning, Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia’s separatist leader, asked to appear before lawmakers on Tuesday, a day later than initially scheduled, to circumvent the court’s order.
As the political standoff over Catalonia reaches a boiling point, the loyalty of Spain’s different security forces has become a major point of contention. If Catalan separatists were to declare independence unilaterally, the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, would most likely use emergency powers to take full administrative control of Catalonia, which could involve replacing the Mossos with thousands of Spanish police officers.As the political standoff over Catalonia reaches a boiling point, the loyalty of Spain’s different security forces has become a major point of contention. If Catalan separatists were to declare independence unilaterally, the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, would most likely use emergency powers to take full administrative control of Catalonia, which could involve replacing the Mossos with thousands of Spanish police officers.
On Sunday, the national police confiscated ballot boxes after the Mossos declined to close polling stations before the voting, as Madrid had ordered. During the referendum vote on Sunday, the national police confiscated ballot boxes after the Mossos declined to close polling stations before the voting, as Madrid had ordered.
The constitutional crisis is forcing companies in the country to adjust their operations, while significantly raising the risk premium demanded by investors for holding Spanish and Catalan debt. Spain’s borrowing costs rose this week to their highest level since March.The constitutional crisis is forcing companies in the country to adjust their operations, while significantly raising the risk premium demanded by investors for holding Spanish and Catalan debt. Spain’s borrowing costs rose this week to their highest level since March.
On Friday, the board of CaixaBank, the largest financial institution based in Catalonia, was to meet to decide whether to follow the example of Sabadell, another major Catalan bank, which announced on Thursday that it would move its legal headquarters to Alicante. On Friday, the board of CaixaBank, the largest financial institution based in Catalonia, was to meet to decide whether to follow the example of Sabadell, another major Catalan bank, which announced on Thursday that it would move its legal headquarters to Alicante, on Spain’s eastern coast.
Relocating would guarantee the banks continued access to funding from the European Central Bank and would allow them to remain under European Union jurisdiction, even if a new Catalan republic were formed outside the bloc and ended up being cut off from the eurozone.Relocating would guarantee the banks continued access to funding from the European Central Bank and would allow them to remain under European Union jurisdiction, even if a new Catalan republic were formed outside the bloc and ended up being cut off from the eurozone.
Freixenet, a major producer of Catalonian sparkling wine, cava, also said it would relocate if Catalonia declared unilateral independence.Freixenet, a major producer of Catalonian sparkling wine, cava, also said it would relocate if Catalonia declared unilateral independence.
“People are starting to get scared, and that’s bad news,” José Luis Bonet, the president of Freixenet, said on national radio on Friday. “If we’re really heading for a unilateral declaration of independence, there will be an important departure of companies from Catalonia, which would cause very serious damage.” “People are starting to get scared, and that’s bad news,” José Luis Bonet, the president of Freixenet, said on national radio Friday. “If we’re really heading for a unilateral declaration of independence, there will be an important departure of companies from Catalonia, which would cause very serious damage to Catalonia.”
This week, Mr. Puigdemont, Catalonia’s leader, requested international mediation to help resolve the conflict, but the proposal was rejected by the prime minister and fell on deaf ears in Brussels and other capitals in the European Union.This week, Mr. Puigdemont, Catalonia’s leader, requested international mediation to help resolve the conflict, but the proposal was rejected by the prime minister and fell on deaf ears in Brussels and other capitals in the European Union.
But the Foreign Ministry of Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union, is offering to mediate the conflict, according to Swiss national radio.But the Foreign Ministry of Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union, is offering to mediate the conflict, according to Swiss national radio.