Six of 'Lledoners 9' pro-independence activists acquitted after public prosecutor withdraws charges

Six of the 'Lledoners 9' pro-independence activists, whose trial began on Tuesday in Manresa, have been acquitted after the public prosecutor decided to withdraw the public disorder charges against them.

The remaining three, however, still face prison time for attempting to prevent the transfer of the then-jailed referendum organizers from Catalonia to Madrid in February 2019 for their trial in Spain's Supreme Court. 

On February 1, 2019, hundreds of people gathered outside the Lledoners prison, north of Manresa in central Catalonia, in an attempt to block off traffic on the highway before being dispersed by Mossos d'Esquadra police officers.

The public prosecutor initially accused all 9 defendants of "causing offense against public peace" for building barricades that had the aim of "preventing the movement of vehicles" and requested 3-year sentences for the six who were acquitted on Wednesday as well as 7-year sentences for the remaining three, who had also been charged with disobedience as well as assaulting and injuries to three officers.  

On Wednesday, the public prosecutor lowered the charges from serious injuries to mild injuries. 

The Catalan government – ruled by pro-independence Esquerra Republicana and Junts per Catalunya – is also seeking 15-month sentences for the three who are still on trial as a private prosecutor to the case.

While it first accused them of seriously injuring the officers, on Wednesday it changed these charges to causing mild injuries and dropped the public disorder charges but not assault.