Spanish Police Arrest 13 Catalan Separatist Officials

On Wednesday, Spanish police arrested 13 officials from the Catalonia region ahead of a planned independence referendum. Tensions between the central Spanish government and Catalan officials have escalated recently over the disagreement regarding the referendum. The Spanish government considers the referendum illegal, while Catalan officials have stated that it will take place on October 1. According to AFP, among those arrested are Josep Maria Jové, the Secretary General of Economic Affairs, and Oriol Junqueras, the Deputy President of Catalonia. The reasons for their arrests have not yet been specified, but the Spanish government had previously warned that officials pursuing the referendum could face criminal charges. Spanish police reported conducting 22 searches during Wednesday's operation. Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Josep Maria Jové's office in Barcelona, chanting 'independence' and 'we will vote.' A day before the arrests, police seized documents related to the referendum in the city of Terrassa, which were held by the postal company 'Unipost.' The Spanish government has also warned that mayors who provide assistance for the voting could face arrest. Madrid claims that under the Spanish Constitution, regions do not have the right to hold referendums. The political crisis has also spilled over into the Spanish Parliament, where pro-independence representatives have heavily criticized the Mariano Rajoy government. Catalan separatist parties secured 47.6% of the votes in last year's regional elections, giving them a majority with 72 out of 135 seats in the Catalan Parliament. The Catalonia region, which includes the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona, has a population of nearly 7.5 million; polls indicate a polarization in the region over independence. In a survey commissioned by the local Catalan government in July, 49.4% opposed separation while 41.1% supported it. In a symbolic referendum, 80% demanded independence from Spain.