Ousted Catalan government hit with insults as they land in Barcelona without Carles Puigdemont

Furious welcome: Dismissed Catalan politicians were greeted with a barrage of Spanish flags
AFP/Getty Images
Gerard Couzens1 November 2017

Members of Catalonia’s sacked government were greeted with Spanish flags and insults after flying back to Barcelona from Brussels.

Protesters shouted “dogs”, “prison” and “stay away” and sang “Viva Espana” as the politicians arrived at El Prat airport shortly before midnight.

Catalonia’s ousted president, Carles Puigdemont, was thought to have been on the plane — but after it landed it became apparent that he had remained in the Belgian capital.

The 54-year-old father-of-two, who left Spain unexpectedly on Sunday with five of his ex-ministers after the Spanish government imposed direct rule on Catalonia, faces demands for his arrest and extradition if he fails to attend court tomorrow.

He has been ordered to the Audiencia Nacional, Spain’s central criminal court in Madrid, for questioning along with more than a dozen members of his deposed government.

Spain’s attorney general Jose Manuel Maza has said he wants them to face charges of rebellion or sedition as well as embezzlement over an illegal referendum held on October 1 and a unilateral independence declaration last Friday. The declaration prompted the Spanish government’s removal of the Catalan government and regional police chiefs.

Rebellion is punishable by up to 30 years in prison under Spanish law and sedition carries a maximum 15-year jail sentence.

Mr Puigdemont has hired a specialist human rights lawyer who has defended several alleged ETA terrorists who Spain wanted to extradite from Belgium.

However, he insisted at a press conference yesterday that he was not intending to ask for political asylum but would return home when he had “guarantees” of a fair trial.

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