Catalonia Takes Police Response to Protesters to International Courts

After it was announced on Sunday evening that the Spanish police's response to protesters during the Catalonia referendum left hundreds injured, the spokesperson for the Catalonia local government stated that Spain would be held accountable for this violence in international courts. According to a Reuters report, Jordi Turull, the spokesperson for the Catalonia local government, announced in a press conference on Sunday evening that 'the Spanish government is very much at risk and must answer in international courts.' The central government of Spain declared the independence referendum in Catalonia illegal, and the police attempted to prevent the referendum by closing nearly 110 polling stations on Sunday. The police also confronted protesters in Catalonia who wanted to participate in the voting, and reports indicate that hundreds were sent to medical centers after clashes with the police. Spanish government officials, without mentioning the number of injured protesters, only noted that 11 police officers were injured, while the spokesperson for the Catalonia local government stated that 337 individuals sought treatment at medical centers and hospitals in the region after clashes with the police, with injuries confirmed for 91 of them. Following this, news agencies quoted the mayor of Barcelona, stating that the number of injuries on Sunday exceeded 460, and he urged the police to stop their actions against defenseless crowds. In this context, the latest report from Reuters, citing the Catalonia local government, indicated that 761 individuals were injured in clashes related to the referendum. It was previously reported that the condition of two of the injured was serious. Mariano Rajoy, the Prime Minister of Spain, described the referendum in Catalonia on Sunday evening as 'a bold attack on democracy' and stated that what was happening in Catalonia was not an independence referendum. The Prime Minister of Spain also described the police's response to protesters as 'firm and dignified.' In this regard, the Spanish Foreign Minister stated that the police's response to protesters was 'unpleasant but proportional.' The events in Catalonia have also drawn reactions outside Spain, including Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, expressing concern over the violence but stating, 'In my understanding, this referendum is clearly unconstitutional, and balance needs to be restored.' He also expressed hope that the current situation would lead to calm. Meanwhile, Liam Fox, the British Trade Minister, condemned the violence in Catalonia but stated that this referendum is an internal matter for Spain. The Associated Press also published statements from Pope Francis, the leader of Catholics worldwide, recommending that Europeans think of unity by setting aside nationalism and other personal interests. However, Pope Francis, who visited Bologna on Sunday, did not directly refer to the Catalonia referendum and the violence surrounding it, only stating that 'we should not be afraid of unity, and nationalism and specific interests should not obscure the brave dream of the founders of the European Union.' As the time for the referendum in Catalonia ended, the counting of votes began, and the spokesperson for the Catalonia local government emphasized the counting of millions of votes cast in this referendum, but expressed ignorance about when the counting would conclude. However, the violence in the Catalonia region was not the only side event of the controversial referendum on Sunday. On that day, the Barcelona football team was supposed to play against Las Palmas, but despite the conditions affected by the referendum, the Spanish Football Federation refused to change the match time and instead ruled that the game would be held behind closed doors without spectators. The match ended with a score of 3-0 in favor of Barcelona, with two goals scored by Lionel Messi.