Noisy protestors yelled “Dogs,” “Prison” and “Stay Away” and sang “Viva Espana” as they arrived at the city’s El Prat airport just before midnight amid chaotic scenes.
Señor Puigdemont was thought to have been on the plane – but it became apparent after it landed that he had stayed in the Belgian capital.
The 54-year-of-two, who left Spain unexpectedly on Sunday with five of his ex-ministers after the Spanish government imposed direct rule over Catalonia, will face demands for his arrest and extradition if he fails to attend court tomorrow.
He has been ordered to the Audiencia Nacional, Spain’s Central Criminal Court in Madrid, for questioning along with more than a dozen members of his deposed government.
Spain’s Attorney General Jose Manuel Maza has said he wants them to face charges of rebellion or sedition as well as embezzlement over an illegal October 1 referendum and a unilateral independence declaration last Friday which prompted the Spanish government’s removal of the Catalan government and regional police chiefs.
Rebellion is punishable by up to 30 years in prison under Spanish law and sedition carries a maximum 15 year jail sentence.
Spanish prosecutors are expected to ask the judge probing the former Catalan governors in what promises to be a lengthy investigation, to order Señor Puigdemont’s incarceration if he ignores the court summons.
The snub would also open the door to his arrest and forced return to Spain.
Señor Puigdemont has hired a specialist human rights lawyer who has defended several alleged ETA terrorists Spain wanted to extradite from Belgium, although he insisted at a press conference yesterday he was not intending to ask for political asylum but would return home only when he had “guarantees” of a fair trial.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has hinted the former Catalan leader does not have his support, insisting he should be “close to his people” after declaring independence.
Joaquim Forn, the former Catalan Interior Minister, and Dolors Bassa, the sacked Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, were among the ousted politicians given a rough ride by noisy protestors at El Prat last night.
There were also reports another of the five former ministers who had joined Puigdemont in Brussels was spotted at the airport.
Puigdemont’s Belgian human rights lawyer Paul Bekaert confirmed the former Catalan president appeared to be heading for a potentially suicidal clash with the Spanish state by snubbing tomorrow’s court summons.
Mr Bekaert was reported to have told a Dutch TV station overnight: “He won’t go because he prefers to observe and wait.”
The lawyer is expected to fight any attempt by Spain to have Señor Puigdemont extradited, although most neutral observers are predicting he is unlikely to succeed.
The Spanish government are hoping snap regional elections called by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for December 21 will help restore calm to Catalonia, although polls have pointed to a split down the middle between separatists and pro-unionists which will fail to impact dramatically on the political situation reigning before Madrid imposed direct rule.
Asked if he thought Señor Puigdemont would attend court tomorrow, Enric Millo, the Spanish government’s delegate in Catalonia, said: “I think it’s a basic rule all citizens should respect.
“I trust that just like any other citizen, he is not going to put himself above the law and will cooperate as required by the justice system.”