Sixena works of art removed from Museum of Lleida

The operation led by the Spanish police in order to remove the disputed Sixena works of art from the Museum of Lleida is coming to an end. Officers and art specialists are already loading the 44 pieces onto a moving van amid protests outside the cultural building. “Thieves,” has been one of the most heard chants during the operation. A police van has been placed so that it is more difficult for the media to record the pieces being loaded into the van. Around ten police vehicles from Spain’s Guardia Civil police arrived around 4am this Monday in order to remove the items. During the morning, the tension between police officers and demonstrators mounted. 

Last week, a judge in Aragon ruled that the art pieces could be removed from this Monday at midnight. This move came only few days after the Spanish Culture minister, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, ordered the pieces to be moved from Catalonia to Aragon while the Spanish government directly controls the Catalan administration. This is the latest chapter of a long legal dispute over the works between both administrations. Catalonia is in a more difficult position now, since it is directly ruled by Madrid and its ministers were deposed on October 27.   

Condemnation expressed by Catalan Culture department official

An official from the Catalan government department, Àngels Solé, expressed her "condemnation" over the events outside the Museum of Lleida on early Monday morning. "This is proper plundering," she added. "They have the brute force, there are a lot of police officers, the people are afraid." According to Solé, "these works were legally bought" and the move is being done without the consent of the Catalan culture minister. "He is in exile," argued Solé.