The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Delegate’s regret over injuries during referendum clashes
Probe into demonstrations sees four questioned
A top Spanish government official in Catalonia has expressed regret about those injured when police cracked down on people taking part in a banned referendum.
The Interior Ministry delegate in Catalonia, Enric Millo, tempered the comments yesterday by saying the Catalan government was responsible for the situation by encouraging people to vote on October 1 despite a constitutional court order suspending the referendum.
Mr Millo’s remarks on Catalonia’s TV3 television station were the first by a Spanish official lamenting the injuries.
Spain defended the police action saying it was firm and proportionate.
Mr Millo told reporters that on knowing there were people injured: “I can only say sorry.”
Spain’s National Court, meanwhile, unconditionally released two senior officers of Catalonia’s regional police force and the leaders of two proindependence civic groups being investigated for sedition.
The case is linked to demonstrations on September 20-21 in Barcelona where Spanish police arrested several Catalan government officials and raided offices in a crackdown on preparations for the referendum.
The four being investigated are Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero, Catalan police lieutenant Teresa Laplana, Jordi Sanchez, the head of the Catalan National Assembly, and Jordi Cuixart, president of separatist group Omnium Cultural.
Mr Trapero was questioned for about an hour and Mr Sanchez also answered questions related to his defence.
Ms Laplana, who had remained in Barcelona, declined to give evidence for medical reasons while Mr Cuixart also refused to participate, saying he did not recognise the court’s capacity to question him for a crime he did not commit.