Political row after Spanish police officer caught removing yellow ribbons

A group of activists was caught this weekend removing yellow ribbons, which has become the symbol showing solidarity with the political leaders jailed around Catalonia.

Nine pro-independence politicians and activists continue in pre-trial jail, with some of them locked up now for over 300 days.

It is not the first time that groups of people have removed such symbols, but this time is slightly different. One of those identified by the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, is an officer from the Spanish Guardia Civil police force.

The events happened in the southernmost part of Catalonia, near the Ebre estuary.

Box cutters, hooks and a map

The 14 people that removed yellow ribbons, pro-independence symbols and banners demanding the release of the "political prisoners" were caught with box cutters, hooks, dark clothes, handkerchiefs, and maps of several towns marked with some routes.

Catalan president Quim Torra called the Spanish police officer’s behavior "unacceptable" and said he will ask the Spanish home affairs minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, for an explanation.

Other attacks by Spanish police

This incident comes a month after another Spanish police officer attacked the Catalan photojournalist  Jordi Borràs, much of whose work focuses on far-right movements.