Police chief and pro-independence groups leaders testify over sedition charges

The Catalan police chief and leaders of pro-independence organizations are to appear before the Spanish National Court in Madrid on Monday to give testimony for a second time regarding sedition accusations. The initial investigation, focusing on demonstrations on September 20 and 21, has been extended to also include events during the October 1 referendum and the alleged “flagrant inaction” of Catalonia’s police corps, the Mossos d’Esquadra.

In a report sent to the judge, the Spanish Guardia Civil police accuses the Mossos of failing to stop the vote from taking place, thus prompting the intervention of Spanish law enforcement agencies. Their violent crackdown on referendum voters left 893 injured, according to the Catalan government.