Spanish PM Slams ‘Radicalism and Disobedience’ of Catalan Separatists as 40,000 Demonstrate

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David Ramos/Getty
Liam Deacon

Spain’s prime minister has called on Catalan separatists to end their “escalation of radicalism and disobedience” as the country faces its worst political crisis in 40 years of democratic rule.

His plea comes as Scottish and Welsh nationalists backed moves to hold a vote on independence on October 1st, which Spain’s constitutional court ruled illegal in September.

“Stop this escalation of radicalism and disobedience once and for all,” Mariano Rajoy said in a televised statement on Wednesday night as protesters continued a daylong demonstration.

An estimated 40,000 people blocked the entrance to the Catalan economy ministry late into the night. Riot police clashed with demonstrators.

Speaking from his official residence, the Moncloa Palace, Mr. Rajoy said there was “still time to avoid greater evils”, and he urged Catalan leaders to observe the law, AFP reports.

Pro-referendum demonstrators gather during a protest near the Economy headquarters of Catalonia’s regional government in Barcelona on September 20, 2017. (PAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty)

Demonstrators clash with Spanish National Police officers as they leave the road outside the Catalan Pro-Independence Lefty party CUP headquarters on September 20, 2017, in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty)

The demonstrations were sparked when police searched the economy ministry building and arrested 14 senior officials on Wednesday as part of an operation to stop the outlawed vote going ahead.

Catalonia’s president hit back by accusing the Spanish government of suspending the region’s autonomy.

Carles Puigdemont, the head of Catalonia’s regional government, described the raids as “a co-ordinated police assault” that showed that Madrid “has de facto suspended self-government and applied a de facto state of emergency”.

The separatist politician also drew an inflammatory equivalence between the raids and the repression of the fascist Franco dictatorship.

He tweeted: “We will not accept a return to the darkest times. The government is in favour of liberty and democracy.”

Speaking after an emergency ministerial meeting, Ms. Puigdemont vowed the illegal vote would go ahead. “We reaffirm our peaceful response,” he said. “The Spanish government has crossed a red line and become a democratic disgrace.”

The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, called the raids “a democratic scandal” and said Catalans would defend their institutions.

In the UK, a Welsh Assembly member called on fellow politicians to show “solidarity” with Catalan separatists.

Plaid Cymru AM Adam Price told colleagues: “The Catalan president has declared that Catalan autonomy is effectively now suspended by the Spanish state.”

He asked for Wales to “send a message of solidarity” to the region “as the Scottish government has done”, the BBC reported.

The pro-independence Scottish newspaper The National also expressed its support for the referendum, running a front page adorned with the Catalan flag.

Rallies in support of Catalan separatism have also been planned in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

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