Spanish gov't to take control of Catalan regional police

The Spanish Public Prosecutor's office has told the head of the Catalan regional police force (Mossos d'Esquarda) that the force will now come under the control of Spanish central government, Spanish media reported Saturday.

The El Pais newspaper says Civil Guard Colonel, Diego Perez de los Cobos, will oversee the work of the Mossos as they carry out the instructions of the Spanish Constitutional Court to impede any actions that would support or permit the independence referendum scheduled to be held in the Catalan region on Oct. 1.

This decision is legally justified by a 1986 law, which allows central government to take over the control of a regional police force "when they consider it necessary."

Catalan regional interior Ministry Joaquin Forn said Friday that the central government in Madrid was planning to take control of the Mossos, after Colonel Perez had attended a meeting in Barcelona. On Saturday, he published a tweet commenting "the (Spanish) state wants to take control of our self-government, but they will not stop us."

Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido confirmed Friday that extra police are being sent to the Catalan region in order to stop the referendum taking place, while the Spanish Public Prosecutor announced it will try to place charges of sedition against those suspected of organizing street demonstrations following the arrest of 14 Catalan public officials accused of aiding preparations for the referendum.