Judge Carmen Lamela has agreed to allow the complaints previously filed by the prosecution against those who are believed to have organised protests in Barcelona after the Guardia Civil had raided a number of regional government offices, seized material regarding the upcoming referendum and made 15 arrests.
Ms Lamela had asked the Guardia Civil for a statement on events, mainly focusing on the raid on the Ministry of the Economy and the arrest of two of the closest advisors to Oriol Junqueras, who is Catalonia’s Vice President and head of that government department.
The complaint by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which was signed by the Public Prosecutor of the Audiencia Nacional, Miguel Ángel Carballo, was not aimed at anyone directly, but specifically mentioned the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and its President, Jordi Sánchez, and that of Òmniun Cultural, Jordi Cuixart, for calling the protest “aware that they would hamper police intervention”.
The charge of sedition – conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of the state – is a serious charge in Spain and carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for civil servants.
Ms Lamela said the court would investigate if the demonstrations constituted a tumultuous uprising against police, which could constitute sedition.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
After the arrests were made thousands took to the streets of the Catalan capital Barcelona to protest the move with around 2,000 people reportedly outside the Ministry of the Economy who surrounded the building, preventing the Guardia Civil from leaving.
It is claimed that Guardia Civil vehicles were also damaged in the protests.
The Guardia Civil confiscated between 9-10 million blank ballot papers which they claim were to be used in the upcoming referendum.
Catalonia’s President Carles Puigdemont faces being removed from office as Madrid cracks down on the referendum taking place.
Madrid authorities have ordered the local police – Mossos – to patrol and close down any polling stations.
Enric Millo, the Spanish government’s representative in Barcelona, said: “If that does not happen it is very likely that our interlocutors in Catalonia afterward will be different people.
“Today we can affirm that there will be no effective referendum in Catalonia. All the referendum’s logistics have been dismantled.”
Spain’s central government and the Constitutional Court have deemed the vote illegal and are putting every effort into trying to ensure it does not take place.
The Catalan government though has resolutely refused to adhere to the wishes of Madrid and has repeatedly stated it will carry on with the referendum vote, declaring Catalonia an independent nation if the Yes vote wins.