Catalonia independence: Sacked Catalan president Carles Puigdemont calls on people to peacefully oppose Spain's takeover

Meanwhile pro-unity protesters are demanding his imprisonment
Sacked Catalan President Carles Puigdemont.
AP
Francesca Gillett28 October 2017

The sacked president of Catalonia has called on the Catalan people to peacefully oppose Spain’s takeover as the country’s constitutional crisis deepens.

Carles Puigdemont appeared on TV and vowed to resist Spain’s direct rule, which the government imposed after Catalonia declared itself independent on Friday.

Spain fired the Catalan police chief, dissolved the regional government and called a snap election in Catalonia’s parliament as Madrid made it clear it would not recognise the independence declaration.

Speaking on Saturday, separatist leader Carles Puigdemont appeared on TV and told Catalans: “We will continue working to build a free country.”

'Puigdemont to prison': Signs call for the imprisonment of the Catalan ex-leader.
AFP/Getty Images

"It's very clear that the best form of defending the gains made up until now is democratic opposition to article 155," Mr Puigdemont said.

Theresa May joined several other international voices as she said Britain “does not and will not recognise the unilateral declaration of independence made by the Catalan regional parliament”.

Constitutional crisis: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy gives a press conference on Friday.
AFP/Getty Images

The vote, which was passed by the parliament in Barcelona by 70 to 10 votes, has been declared illegal by the courts in Spain. The row has plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.

By Saturday, the Senate in Madrid had responded by beginning to impose direct rule over Catalonia.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sacked the Catalan government as part of the emergency measures following the region's declaration of independence.

He said he is dissolving the Catalan parliament and calling for a new regional election on December 21.

Celebrations after the independence declaration on Friday.
AP

Madrid also sacked the chief of Catalonia's regional police force, Josep Lluis Trapero.

He said: "Spain is a serious country, it is a great nation and we are not prepared in any way to allow some people to liquidate our constitution."

Delighted: A protester holds the Catalan flag during a demonstration in support of Catalonia near the Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin.
EPA

It will be the first time in four decades of democratic rule in Spain that the national government will directly run the affairs of one of the country's 17 semi-autonomous regions, a move that could fan the flames of the Catalan revolt.

Earlier Catalan president Carles Puigdemont hailed the independence vote, saying the parliament had fulfilled "the long-desired and fought-for step".

"In the days ahead we must keep to our values of pacifism and dignity. It's in our, in your hands, to build the republic," he said.

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