NATIONAL POLICE officers in Cataluña have arrested 16 members of a radical pro-independence group in connection with blocking railways and other acts which took place alongside protests last year.
Officers made the arrests in Girona. The detainees are members of the Committee of the Defence of the Republic (CDR) which has organised rallies and direct action in support of Catalan Independence.
The arrests followed complaints made by the ADIF railway infrastructure body after AVE lines were blocked on the anniversary of the 2017 Catalan independence vote.
Court sources said warrants were not issued for the arrests but cited Article 492 of Criminal Procedure laws which allow police to detain people they believe could commit crimes.
The CDR and Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (CUP) leftist pro-independence group protested against the arrests outside the National Police station in Girona.
Demonstrations were also held outside the headquarters of the government’s sub-delegate in Girona and in Barcelona.
Maria Sirvent, a member of the CUP in the Catalan Parliament, called on the government’s delegate in the region to explain the arrests.
The case continues.
