Catalonia’s executive accused Madrid of taking control of its regional police force on Saturday after prosecutors tasked the Ministry of the Interior 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 Sunday1 despite Madrid’s refusal and a court ban.
On Saturday morning, Catalonia’s chief prosecutor told the heads of the national police, Guardia Civil force and Mossos d’Esquadra — the regional squad — that the 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 organizing the vote were detained, and six of them were subsequently put under investigation
However, the Catalan government 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.”
An internal note sent to agents and published by Spanish media, the Mossos high command said it would follow the prosecutor’s orders, even if it did not agree.
The ministry in Madrid said it was not taking any power away from the Mossos.
The spokesman said that the same process had been implemented in the jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils last month, with the Mossos tasked with coordinating operations at that time.
However, unions at the Mossos reacted angrily.
The SAP union said the Security Board of Catalonia, which it says is responsible for coordinating police forces in the region, had not been convened to discuss the matter and slammed the decision as “political.”
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday asked Catalan leaders to admit that they cannot hold the referendum after last week’s crackdown dealt them a serious blow.
“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.
Catalan leaders say they are still determined to see the referendum through even if they recognize their plans have been seriously hindered.
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