Opposition links independence movement with radical activism

The inclusion of president Quim Torra in a report by the Guardia Civil police investigating the 2017 independence bid is more proof that he "is not here either to manage or lead Catalonia," according to opposition leader Arrimadas on Tuesday.

Arrimadas, the head of the unionist Cs party, compared Torra to "a CDR ringleader," in reference to the pro-independence Committees for the Defense of the Republic, which have been very active in mounting radical protests, such as cutting main roads and railways.

The CDR allusion echoes the words of the People's Party (PP) leader, Pablo Casado, who on Monday justified his pledge should he win the upcoming general election to reimpose direct rule on Catalonia due to the presence of a ‘kale borroka’ in the country.

Kale borroka refers to the urban guerrilla actions carried out by Basque nationalist activists, which Casado compared to the protests in Catalonia, including the "assault on Parliament and the orders for the Catalan police not to prevent the cutting of motorways."

"Order must be brought to Catalonia," said Casado, and "not to talk with those who carried out a coup." As well as proposing direct rule, the PP leader also argued for the pro-independence parties to be made illegal for promoting violence.