Spain apologizes, tone softens in Catalonia independence crisis

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters




#WORLD NEWS OCTOBER 6, 2017 / 5:28 AM / UPDATED 24 MINUTES AGO

Sam Edwards, Raquel Castillo

BARCELONA/MADRID (Reuters) - Spain apologized on Friday for a violent police crackdown on Catalonia’s independence referendum, in a conciliatory gesture as both sides looked for a way out of the nation’s worst political crisis since it became a democracy four decades ago.

Spain’s representative in northeast Catalonia, which accounts for a fifth of the national economy, made the apology just as Catalonia’s secessionist leader appeared to inch away from a plan to declare independence as early as Monday.

“When I see these images, and more so when I know people have been hit, pushed and even one person who was hospitalized, I can’t help but regret it and apologize on behalf of the officers that intervened,” Enric Millo said in a television interview.

Spanish police used batons and rubber bullets to stop people voting in Sunday’s referendum, which Madrid had banned as unconstitutional. The scenes brought worldwide condemnation and fanned separatist feeling but failed to prevent what the Catalan government described as an overwhelming yes vote.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics-catalonia/spain-apologizes-tone-softens-in-catalonia-independence-crisis-idUSKBN1CB106

[Javaman]

1. now come the knocks on the doors and the quiet round up...

they got the names and the videos from the protests.

[BigmanPigman]

2. Did Spain govt realize they screwed up and

are actually doing the right thing (our govt would never own up to it) or am I being naive?

[Denzil_DC]

3. It's small step forward from denying it even happened.

It's also going to leave eggs on the faces of some low-Tweet count Spanish government defenders (maybe bots, who can tell?) who've been swarming almost every discussion of the situation on Twitter with denials and counter-claims of Catalan violence.

It may also come as a bit of a setback to a few on this very forum who for some reason seemingly approved of this physical crackdown in the face of "secessionists" and were keen to dismiss the reports of violence as the work of Putinbots.

And also to some of the higher-ups in the EU who described the state thuggery as a "proportionate" response.

It would be nice to hear some words of regret and reconciliation from Rajoy or the Spanish king, though it may be too late to undo much of the damage now.

The UN is investigating, and Amnesty International has issued its own response:

Catalan referendum: Dangerous use of force by Spanish police confirmed by Amnesty

Spanish authorities must carry out a swift, thorough and impartial investigation after Amnesty International observers in Catalonia confirmed excessive and unnecessary use of force by police, including the beating of defenceless people and the use of rubber balls to subdue peaceful protesters.

A team of Amnesty observers confirmed that members of the National Police force's Police Intervention Unit (UIP) and Civil Guard officers used excessive and disproportionate force against demonstrators who were passively resisting in the streets and at entrances to polling stations.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Director for Europe and Central Asia, said:

“In several cases, the actions of National Police and Civil Guard officers involved excessive and unnecessary use of force, and the dangerous use of riot control equipment, injuring hundreds of peaceful protesters”.

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/catalan-referendum-dangerous-use-force-spanish-police-confirmed-amnesty