King lays down the law to Catalonia
SPAIN: Spain’s King Felipe VI has accused Catalan secessionist leaders of shattering democratic principles and dividing Catalan society, as thousands took to the streets to protest against a violent police crackdown against the region’s banned independence referendum.
The televised speech yesterday, a rare intervention by the 49-yearold monarch, was a sign of how deeply Spain has been shaken by the Catalan vote and a police crackdown that injured 900 people.
Catalonia’s leader, Carles Puigdemont, told the BBC yesterday the region would declare independence in a matter of days.
In his address, the king said the ‘‘irresponsible behaviour’’ of the Catalan leaders had undermined social harmony in the region.
‘‘[The leaders] have infringed the system of legally approved rules with their decisions, showing an unacceptable disloyalty towards the powers of the state,’’ he said.
Sitting at his desk in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Felipe said the central government must ensure constitutional order in Catalonia.
He said the separatist government in Catalonia had acted ‘‘totally outside law and democracy’’ by staging the disputed referendum. ’’They have meant to fracture Spain.’’
His words are likely to bolster the central government’s case that the Catalan separatists have gone too far - and may signal new gettough measures by Madrid against the Barcelona rebellion.
As the king addressed the nation, trade unions in Catalonia led a powerful general strike that shut down businesses, highways and schools in a mass protest against police violence during the chaotic independence vote.
Huge crowds poured through the streets of Barcelona and other cities in the region in the latest act of defiance against the central government and its rejection of last Sunday’s referendum, in which more than 2 million people voted in support of Catalonia’s bid for nationhood.
Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said: ’’I want to express my total support for the security forces, who are defending legality and the rights of everyone in Catalonia.’’