Guardia Civil police officers testify in Catalan trial

Prosecutors in the Catalan trial began the cross-examination of Spanish Guardia Civil police officers on Tuesday—a series of testimonies that could shed some light on the operations to halt the 2017 independence referendum.

According to defense sources, the officers called as witnesses took part in the raids ordered by Spain's judiciary of Catalan public buildings and also private companies aimed at dismantling the logistics for the vote.

Some of the officers will give testimony on their role and what they saw during the contentious September 20, 2017 raids –and subsequent protests– outside Catalonia's economy department.

The rallies outside the building prompted Spain's judiciary to initially accuse two pro-independence civic leaders of sedition, and then of rebellion. Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez face a potential 17-year prison sentence demanded by the public prosecutor.