Police tighten security in Catalonia ahead of separatist protests
Police have stepped up security measures in Catalonia as separatists plan to hold more protests to express their support for independence from Spain.
"From today (Wednesday) we are implementing a new plan to guarantee security and public order with regards to the various scenarios that could take place in Catalonia," a spokeswoman for Catalonia's police force -known as the Mossos d'Esquadra- said on Wednesday, without elaborating.
Enric Millo, the central government's representative in Catalonia, added that "security measures have been increased for people and public equipment that have been targeted by protests, graffiti or assaults recently".
According to the central government's representative office, security would be tightened especially in front of government buildings in Catalonia, as well as European institutions.
It further said that special protection would be provided to several political leaders, magistrates and prosecutors, without mentioning their names.
Judge Pablo Llarena of the Supreme Court, who is handling the case concerning Catalonia's secession bid, is already under protection after he was threatened, the interior ministry has said.
Millo said these measures were implemented because of "an increase in belligerence" in the past weeks as supporters of Catalonia’s secession have demonstrated against the detention of more pro-independence leaders in Spain and the arrest of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont in Germany.
Puigdemont faces extradition to Spain on rebellion charges.
Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium after his October 27 declaration of independence led to his ouster, along with other senior officials in the region has been accused of launching a rebellion against Spain and misusing public funds in a controversial referendum held on October 1. Less than half of eligible voters turned out in the vote, which Catalan leaders used to declare independence.
Since late October, Madrid has imposed direct rule on the once semi-autonomous region to prevent separatist Catalans from launching similar plebiscites.
The protests that hit the region in the past weeks were called by the Defense of the Republic (CDR), a coalition of pro-independence Catalan groups.
The stepped-up security measures also come as the CDR last week called for the beginning of "the Catalan spring", in reference to protests that swept Arab nations in 2011.
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