Spain sends thousands of police to block Catalonia referendum
Spanish media says between 3,000 and 4,000 state officers have already arrived, or are on their way to Catalonia. The reinforcements will join 5,000 state police already based in the region.
Protesters against a banned referendum on independence in Catalonia hold flares during a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain, September 22, 2017. Reuters
The government in Madrid is facing one of its biggest political crises since the end of the Franco dictatorship and the return of democracy four decades ago.
It has called the independence referendum planned by Catalan leaders an illegal act and taken police and court action to block it.
On Wednesday, Spanish police made the arrests after they conducted the raids in key regional buildings.
The authorities are also preparing to deploy 16,000 riot police officers in Catalonia.
TRT World's Nafisa Latic reports.
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