Barcelona protest: Carles Puigdemont manhunt as crowds teargassed in Spanish city
Catalan police have locked down Barcelona in a bid to capture separatist leader Carles Puigdemont.
Carles Puigdemont addresses cheering crowds in Barcelona
Barcelona has been put on lockdown as Catalan police attempt to capture separatist leader Carles Puigdemont.
Puigdemont returned to the city on Thursday despite facing arrest to make a speech in front of thousands and quickly vanishing.
Supporters formed a human barrier around the leader, who has been wanted by Spanish authorities for seven years.
Clashes broke out between protesters and police, with members of the crowd teargassed and beaten by officers attempting to control the chaos.
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Summary of day's events
Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan President, made a surpise appearance at a rally in front of the region's parliament in Barcelona on Thursday.
The separatist leader has an arrest warrant in his name and has been living outside Spain since the illegal independence referendum of 2017.
He told his ecstatic supporters not to give up on their dreams of an independent Catalonia before disappearing into the crowds.
Police have launched a massive manhunt in an attempt to capture the political fugitive.
Check points have been set up on roads leading to the French border, where it is believed he is heading.
Police officer arrested over Puigdemont escape
A police officer from Catalonia's regional force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, has been arrested in connection with an investigation into the escape of Carles Puigdemot.
The former Catalan President disappereaed after making an appearance at a rally in front of the region's parliament.
Huge traffic jams after police set up roadblocks
The Catalan transit authority says traffic jams are forming as a result of the police roadblocks set up to capture fugitive Carles Puigdemont.
Video clips show huge tail backs on roads.
\ud83d\udd34 A l'AP-7 hi ha 2 km de retenci\u00f3 entre Agullana i la Jonquera en sentit Fran\u00e7a.
— Tr\u00e0nsit (@transit) August 8, 2024
\ud83d\udfe1 Tamb\u00e9 hi ha un carril tallat a Sant Cugat del Vall\u00e8s en sentit Girona per un cami\u00f3 #avariat. Intensitat pic.twitter.com/JiJCL63eww
What happens if Puigdemont is captured?
Carles Puigdemont is likely to be transferred to Madrid to appear before the Supreme Court, if captured.
A judge will then decide whether to send him to prison until trial, or release him on bail.
Puigdemont intended to vote in Presidential election
Puigdemont's appearance was timed to coincide with a parliamentary vote to chose the next President of Catalonia.
Socialist Salvador Illa is one of the candidates seeking the nomination and was due to give a speech to fellow MPs on Thursday in a bid to secure their votes.
Puigdemont said on Wednesday that electing Illa would put an end to 14 years of separatist governments.
He announced his intention to vote in the election. As he was elected to the parliament last May, the former Catalan President is legally able to cast a vote.
However, it appears Puigdemont never made it inside the parliament building.
Spain's amnesty law for Catalan nationalists
Pedro Sanchez introduced an amnesty law for Catalan nationalists.
Spain's Congress eventually passed the legislation by a wafer thin majority at the end of May. 177 lawmakers voted in favour and 172 against.
The law seeks to withdraw pending legal action against Catalan nationalists for separatist activities, including the 2017 referendum and failed independence bid.
However, the country’s judiciary is refusing to apply the amnesty to Puigdemont.
Spain PM slammed over Puigdemont reappearance
Pedro Sánchez has been blamed for the reappearance of Carles Puigdemont.
Alicia García, the senate People's Party leader, said the Spanish PM was responsible for the “shame and indignation” caused by the former Catalan president’s appearance.
Puigdemont says independence dream lives on
Puigdemont reappeared in Barcelona in front of hundreds of cheering supporters on Thursday outside the Catalan parliament.
He appeared on a stage next to the city’s Triumphal Arch, with supporters forming a human barrier around him.
The separatist leader told his supporters: “Despite all the efforts to do us harm, I have come here today to remind them that we are still here and that we do not have to give up. Long live Free Catalonia!”
The politican then vanished.
Police checking all vehicles heading to French border
Catalan police are stopping and searching vehicles heading towards the French border.
There are also traffic controls around Barcelona's city centre following reports that Carles Puigdemont was seen leaving in a car.
The hunt for the Catalan spatarist leader has been dubbed Operation Jaula (cage)
Puigdemont supporters in violent clashes with police
Dozens of Catalans have reportedly been injured by Spanish auxiliary police, who are using pepper spray to try and disperse the crowds, as well as beating people with batons.
Images on X social media show fierce clashes between police and Puigdemont supporters.
Dozens of Catalans now on being injured by the Spanish auxiliary police throwing pepper spray and beating the Catalan people who are in Barcelona to welcome Carles Puigdemont pic.twitter.com/WDRh21l1kX
— Help Catalonia \ud83c\udf97 (@CataloniaHelp2) August 8, 2024
Who is Carles Puigdemont
Carles Puigdemont is a Catalan politician and journalist from Spain.
A former mayor of Girona, he served as President of Catalonia from 2016 to 2017.
However he was forced to flee Spain in 2017 after authorities ordered his arrest for organising the region’s illegal independence referendum.
He found refuge in Waterloo, just outside Brussels. From there he led the Catalan independence movement’s presence on the international stage, by becoming a Member of the European Parliament in 2019.
An arrest warrant in his name remains in force, meaning he can only enter Spain covertly.
