Criticism of Catalan police in court 'disgraceful,' says interior minister

Interior minister Miquel Buch leapt to the defense of the Mossos d'Esquadra, after Diego Pérez de los Cobos, who coordinated the police operation to stop the 2017 independence, was critical of the Catalan police during his testimony in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Buch called it "disgraceful" that Pérez de los Cobos should try to attribute the "excessive violence" shown by Spanish police officers during the operation to stop the vote to "an alleged lack of commitment" from the Mossos.

On Wednesday, Buch continued his defense of the Catalan police, insisting that the testimony given by Pérez de los Cobos, and that by the former Spanish government delegate to Catalonia, Enric Millo, is an attempt to "smear" the Mossos.