Pro-independence leaders urge “calm” amid referendum arrests

Spain's Guardia Civil arrested 12 high-ranking Catalan officials Wednesday morning in a big anti-referendum operation that involved raids in at least 9 government buildings and 4 ministries.

The Catalan government immediately afterwards urged "calm" and insisted that its commitment with the October 1 referendum remains "intact".

"Absolute calm and serenity toward this state of siege. Our commitment remains intact and more justified with every hour that goes by," tweeted the Catalan government spokesman and minister of the Presidency, Jordi Turull.

The far-left pro-independence party CUP also urged citizens to protest "peacefully." The CUP MP and Barcelona city councilor, Eulàlia Reguant, described the police raids and arrests as "a coup d'état." "Those that talk about a coup d'état are actually doing it themselves," she said, urging citizens to "take to the streets".

The MP said citizens should protest "in front of the ministries" being raided but insisted that they should always do so "peacefully". The party's spokesman, Quim Arrufat, also described Spain's action as a "coup".

Joan Tardà, a Catalan MP in the Spanish Congress, participating in one of the protests in Barcelona, also urged citizens to protest "peacefully." "They want there to be violence, but there won't be. We will win because we're democrats," he said to the hundreds of people gathering in the street.

Two of the main pro-independence civil society organizations, responsible for the big rallies of the last few years, have called citizens to protest in front of the government offices. In a mobilization that started on Twitter and WhatsApp, ANC and Òmnium said the "moment has arrived to protest peacefully" in favor of the referendum. "We should get out there to defend our institutions without violence. A non-violent attitude in defense of our institutions," said Jordi Sánchez, from the ANC.

The president of Òmnium, Jordi Cuixart, also warned that the Spanish government is "assaulting" Catalan government offices. "They will get as far as we let them," he said. "To be able to live in a democratic Catalonia is in our hands. Democracy is defended in the streets," he added.