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SPAIN’S KING FELIPE VI has this evening sternly denounced the bid by Catalan leaders to make their region independent and threw his weight behind the national authorities’ efforts to “ensure constitutional order”.
Felipe had previously struck a conciliatory tone over the tensions with Catalonia but raised the tone dramatically in a short televised address, warning that Catalan leaders’ “irresponsible conduct could put at risk the economic and social stability of Catalonia and all of Spain”.
The king broke with his previously measured tone, warning that “it is the responsibility of the legitimate state powers to ensure constitutional order”.
His address comes hours after over 700,000 people took to Barcelona’s streets to protest against police violence during a banned weekend independence referendum in Catalonia, demanding to be heard.
As the entire region went on general strike, Catalans protested throughout the day in various rallies, calling on the EU to intervene in an escalating face-off between Catalan
Crowds in Barcelona yelled for national security forces to get out, branding them “occupation forces” and raising their middle fingers at a police helicopter circling overhead.
Barcelona football club refused to train as part of a strike.
Officials said the strike slowed down public transport and paralysed freight shipments in the port of Barcelona.
It also closed down tourist sites such as the city’s emblematic Sagrada Familia Church.
Protesters rallied in the afternoon and a further demo started in the early evening, with demonstrators dancing in a central Barcelona avenue and beating drums in a carnival atmosphere.
“The streets will always be ours,” young protesters yelled.
Anger at police ‘repression’
Pictures of police beating unarmed Catalan voters with batons and dragging some by the hair during Sunday’s ballots drew international criticism.
Some demonstrators said they were not pro-independence but came out to protest in anger at the police violence.
“The important thing is for the people to be united,” said one such voter, Rachael Moya, a social worker.
“I am here because of what happened the other day. The people should be allowed to vote and we should fight against police repression.”
Catalan regional leader Carles Puigdemont said nearly 900 people had received medical attention on Sunday, though local authorities confirmed a total of 92 injured. Four were hospitalised, two in serious condition.
The national government said more than 400 police officers were hurt.
- © AFP 2017.
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Friend of mine from Madrid tells me Spain is done with the old guard monarchy and politically alike. They are moving towards a citizens rights based country they want a government and system that works for them not against them and there not going to stop until they achieve it. Good luck to them thats what you call moving forward and progress it I the 21st century not the 18th . The Monarchy and establishment are shitting themselves and rightly so. They sabotaged their own existence by lazyness and greed.
B-Egan for your information, Spain is a democratic country where the rule of law is applied, as much as Ireland.
“Citizens rights based country” What is that? Would you mind to explain?
In Spain like in any other democratic country, power brings corruption.
The law is applied, corrupts finish in court or jail and the public express their opinion through their voting.
The centre-right governing party will lose the next election (despite doing a decent economic job) and the left wing (very left in this occasion) will win. Then they will destroy the economy again and the centre right will come back. That is the democratic process, here and in Spain.
All governments will have some corruption, both will have the judiciary going after some of them.
This is the reality, the good news is the control of corruption is tighter and the level of tolerance lower than ever.
Regarding Monarchy or Republic, I enjoy our republican dribble every time the British royal family have a new baby or jubilee or a wedding or visit a castle. It is a show for the media and a monarch is much more attractive than a president.
100% Jo. The Journal is full of commentators that don’t understand democracy led by AAA, Sinn Fein of all shades, anti water, anti property tax. All single issue promise the sun, moon and stars groups that always get gobbled up when the people have to make a decision in the round at election time.
Monarchy..? Feudal theft.. Yet we still pander and fawn to these parasites., particularly the Windsor spongers of our nearest neighbour.. Over 200 yrs since the enlightenment and we still stand in awe of these scroungers. Mind boggles..
Is her dad still murdering the wildlife in Africa .
next time the media go on a welfare whichhunt against the poor. could they please include the rich that steal our taxes. I’d say welfare fraud pales in comparison to tax fraud perpetrated by the already wealthy.
The got something wrong there buddy.
Question: Who steals taxes? Answer: Governments. Any government who promises to rob Peter to pay Paul will always have Paul’s vote.
Question: Who avoids or evades taxes? Answer: anyone that can.
Happens from top to bottom in all societies. History of man and society.
Question: Why does it happen? Answer: Because most people know that massive amounts of tax collected is wasted and divided up between them by the insiders, namely those in the public pay by both salary and welfare.
Nobody on the receiving end protects the tax payer by driving real savings and reform. Taxes always increase even when they reduce the rate.
Do we want to start listing were the waste is?
Is not tax fraud is corruption the issue! Read a bit more.
Vicko it boils down to one thing and that’s money. you can be sure they’re not being accused of being to generous to the poor. these people acquired their money through nepotism and war.
my comment merely called them welfare claimants and it’s deleted, sound….
Somebody think of the children
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