Spanish court confirms it’s competent to try Catalonia’s former police leadership

Spain’s National Court has confirmed that it’s competent to try the former leadership of the Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, for its role in the independence referendum.

Mossos chief Josep Lluís Trapero, former interior ministry officials, Cèsar Puig and Pere Soler, as well as former police head, Teresa Laplana, are accused of putting the Catalan police force "at the service of the plans for independence."

Catalan police officers closed nearly 300 polling stations during the 2017 independence referendum, following orders from Spanish courts. Yet, and unlike Spanish police, they didn’t use force against referendum voters.