Catalan police hunt Carles Puigdemont after appearance in Barcelona
Police are hunting former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont after he made a scheduled speech in Barcelona. Despite setting up roadblocks around the city, Spanish police have yet to find and arrest the Catalan separatist, who is believed to have left the city by car.
On Thursday at around 9.00, Puigdemont appeared on a stage near the Catalan parliament and gave a short speech. Spanish police still have an arrest warrant out for the separatist for his role in an independence referendum that was banned by Spanish judges in 2017. Puigdemont has spent the last seven years in exile in Belgium.
During his speech, he called for a "free and independent Catalonia". "I don't know how long it will be before we see each other again, friends, but whatever happens, when we meet again, I hope we can shout together what I said in my speech: 'Long live a free Catalonia'," he said.
After his speech, his supporters headed to parliament for the investiture debate of the next Catalan regional president, socialist Salvador Illa. Puigdemont had announced that he would also attend and take part in the vote. Police were reportedly ready to arrest him, but the former prime minister never showed up.
Officer arrested
Although Spanish authorities set up roadblocks around the city, they have not yet been able to locate Puigdemont, Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia reports. It says Puigdemont left the city by car and headed towards the French border.
The failed search does not look good for the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra. One of its officers has been arrested in connection with the investigation into Puigdemont's escape, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
© PHOTO MANAURE QUINTERO / AFP
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