Catalonia police row erupts ahead of vote

CATALONIA’S executive accused Madrid of taking control of its regional police force on Saturday after prosecutors tasked the Interior Ministry with coordinating all operations aimed at stopping an outlawed independence referendum.

The row is likely to further raise tensions between the central government and Catalonia, a northeast region deeply divided over independence with its separatist leaders seeking to hold a vote on October 1 despite Madrid’s refusal and a court ban.

On Saturday, Catalonia’s chief prosecutor told the heads of the national police, Guardia Civil force and Mossos d’Esquadra – the regional squad – that the Interior Ministry would coordinate operations “in light of what happened last week”, a spokesman at the ministry said.

Barcelona was rocked by protests on Wednesday as thousands took to the streets when key members of the team organising the vote were detained, and six of them were subsequently put under investigation for disobedience, embezzlement of public funds and malfeasance.

The Catalan government, however, said in a statement it did not “accept the Interior Ministry taking command of the Mossos d’Esquadra”.

Joaquim Forn, the region’s interior minister whose department manages the Mossos, tweeted that they were looking into taking legal action against “this interference from the state”. But in an internal note sent to agents, the Mossos high command said it would follow the prosecutor’s orders, even if it did not agree.

The interior ministry in Madrid said it was not taking any power away from the Mossos.

The spokesman pointed out that the same process had been implemented in the jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils last month, with the Mos- sos tasked with coordinating operations at that time.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asked Catalan leaders to own up that they can’t hold the referendum after a crackdown dealt them a serious blow this week.

“It would be sensible, reasonable and democratic to stop and say, there won’t be a referendum, which they know won’t happen,” Rajoy told members of his conservative Popular Party at an event in the Balearic Islands.

But Catalan leaders say they are still determined to see the referendum through even if they recognise their plans have been seriously hindered.