http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics-catalonia/catalan-mayors-defy-spanish-courts-ahead-of-independence-vote-idUSKCN1BR0FW?il=0
September 16, 2017 / 1:53 PM / Updated an hour ago
Catalan mayors defy Spanish courts ahead of independence vote
Sam Edwards

3 Min Read
Thousands of demonstrators walk behind a banner reading "Vote to Decide. Democracy. Catalonia, We Are With You" during a march organised by pro-Basque independence organization Gure Esku Dago (In Our Hands) in favour of a planned referendum on the independence of Catalonia, in Bilbao, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent West

BARCELONA (Reuters) - More than 700 mayors from across Catalonia gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to confirm their support for a planned independence referendum that Madrid has declared illegal.

The Catalan government plans to hold a referendum on self rule for the wealthy northeastern region on Oct. 1, despite strong opposition from government which has challenged the vote in the Constitutional Court.

The mayors met with Catalonia’s regional head Carles Puigdemont in a show of defiance, following Spanish prosecutors warning earlier this week that officials engaging in any preparations for the vote could be charged with civil disobedience, abuse of office and misuse of public funds.

On Wednesday, Spanish prosecutors summoned for questioning more than 700 mayors who had said they would allow municipal spaces to be used for voting. If the mayors do not respond to the order, police should arrest them, the order said.

Meeting in downtown Barcelona in front of hundreds of flag waving pro-independence protesters, the mayors gave speeches in which they promised continued support for the referendum amid chants of “we will vote” and “independence.”

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, who has reached an agreement with the Catalan regional government to allow voting in the city, criticized Madrid’s response to the crisis in a short speech in the city hall.

“It’s a disgrace that we have a government that is incapable of dialogue and instead dedicates itself to pursuing and intimidating mayors and the media,” Colau said.

So far, 740 of 948 municipal leaders have said they would allow municipal spaces to be used for the referendum, according to the Association for Municipalities for Independence (AMI).
Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont followed by mayors of towns of Catalonia that support the Referendum of 1-O arrive at Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Spanish police have raided several print shops and newspaper offices in recent days in a hunt for voting papers, ballot boxes and leaflets to be used for the referendum.

Catalonia’s top court on Friday issued a warning to seven newspapers not to publish campaign notices for the referendum, a court spokesperson said.
Slideshow (11 Images)

On Saturday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for a return to “rationality and legality” and promised to block the vote.

“The only thing I ask of (Catalan) mayors is that they comply with the law, and as such don’t participate in an illegal referendum,” Rajoy said.

Polls show a minority of Catalans want independence, although a majority want the chance to vote on the issue.

The Scottish government lent its support to the Catalan referendum. Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said Scotland’s 2014 referendum on self rule, which was agreed to by both Westminster and Edinburgh, was a positive example of how to resolve such disputes.

“All peoples have the right to self determination and to choose the form of government best suited to their needs, a principle which is enshrined in the UN Charter,” Hyslop said in a statement on Saturday.

The “No” side won in the Scottish independence referendum.

reality1010:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics-catalonia/catalan-mayors-defy-spanish-courts-ahead-of-independence-vote-idUSKCN1BR0FW?il=0
September 16, 2017 / 1:53 PM / Updated an hour ago
Catalan mayors defy Spanish courts ahead of independence vote
Sam Edwards

3 Min Read
Thousands of demonstrators walk behind a banner reading "Vote to Decide. Democracy. Catalonia, We Are With You" during a march organised by pro-Basque independence organization Gure Esku Dago (In Our Hands) in favour of a planned referendum on the independence of Catalonia, in Bilbao, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent West

BARCELONA (Reuters) - More than 700 mayors from across Catalonia gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to confirm their support for a planned independence referendum that Madrid has declared illegal.

The Catalan government plans to hold a referendum on self rule for the wealthy northeastern region on Oct. 1, despite strong opposition from government which has challenged the vote in the Constitutional Court.

The mayors met with Catalonia’s regional head Carles Puigdemont in a show of defiance, following Spanish prosecutors warning earlier this week that officials engaging in any preparations for the vote could be charged with civil disobedience, abuse of office and misuse of public funds.

On Wednesday, Spanish prosecutors summoned for questioning more than 700 mayors who had said they would allow municipal spaces to be used for voting. If the mayors do not respond to the order, police should arrest them, the order said.

Meeting in downtown Barcelona in front of hundreds of flag waving pro-independence protesters, the mayors gave speeches in which they promised continued support for the referendum amid chants of “we will vote” and “independence.”

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, who has reached an agreement with the Catalan regional government to allow voting in the city, criticized Madrid’s response to the crisis in a short speech in the city hall.

“It’s a disgrace that we have a government that is incapable of dialogue and instead dedicates itself to pursuing and intimidating mayors and the media,” Colau said.

So far, 740 of 948 municipal leaders have said they would allow municipal spaces to be used for the referendum, according to the Association for Municipalities for Independence (AMI).
Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont followed by mayors of towns of Catalonia that support the Referendum of 1-O arrive at Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Spanish police have raided several print shops and newspaper offices in recent days in a hunt for voting papers, ballot boxes and leaflets to be used for the referendum.

Catalonia’s top court on Friday issued a warning to seven newspapers not to publish campaign notices for the referendum, a court spokesperson said.
Slideshow (11 Images)

On Saturday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for a return to “rationality and legality” and promised to block the vote.

“The only thing I ask of (Catalan) mayors is that they comply with the law, and as such don’t participate in an illegal referendum,” Rajoy said.

Polls show a minority of Catalans want independence, although a majority want the chance to vote on the issue.

The Scottish government lent its support to the Catalan referendum. Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said Scotland’s 2014 referendum on self rule, which was agreed to by both Westminster and Edinburgh, was a positive example of how to resolve such disputes.

“All peoples have the right to self determination and to choose the form of government best suited to their needs, a principle which is enshrined in the UN Charter,” Hyslop said in a statement on Saturday.

The “No” side won in the Scottish independence referendum.

all the secessionists were law breakers

moninuola65:

all the secessionists were law breakers

And for that army was sent to shoot all of them and kill them like the nigerian army?

The regional government of Catalonia in Spain is the one campaigning to separate. An attempt that has already been ruled by the highest court in the land as null and void.

Here in Nigeria, we have an unrecognized boys scout group of miscreants trying to usurp the power of the democratic and constitutionally recognised SouthEast leadership within Nigeria.

The arrogant hunchback who was their leader until he fled for his life on the day of invited battle, kept demanding that he must be given a date for referendum as though he was some constituted authority of the SouthEast. He threatened to unleash his errand boys to destroy the country, and promised that no soldier of the federal government that enters his domain will depart alive.

In the end, he fled when the real constituted authorities decided to visit him with their own errand boys.

Throwback:
The regional government of Catalonia in Spain is the one campaigning to separate. An attempt that has already been ruled by the highest court in the land as null and void.

Here in Nigeria, we have an unrecognized boys scout group of miscreants trying to usurp the power of the democratic and constitutionally recognised SouthEast leadership within Nigeria.

The arrogant hunchback who was their leader until he fled for his life on the day of invited battle, kept demanding that he must be given a date for referendum as though he was some constituted authority of the SouthEast. He threatened to unleash his errand boys to destroy the country, and promised that no soldier of the federal government that enters his domain will depart alive.

In the end, he fled when the real constituted authorities decided to visit him with their own errand boys.

Thousands of demonstrators walk behind a banner reading "Vote to Decide. Democracy. Catalonia, We Are With You" during a march organised by pro-Basque independence organization Gure Esku Dago (In Our Hands) in favour of a planned referendum on the independence of Catalonia, in Bilbao, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent West
Which group is organising the march?

reality1010:

Thousands of demonstrators walk behind a banner reading "Vote to Decide. Democracy. Catalonia, We Are With You" during a march organised by pro-Basque independence organization Gure Esku Dago (In Our Hands) in favour of a planned referendum on the independence of Catalonia, in Bilbao, Spain, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent West
Which group is organising the march?

Any pressure group can always hold rallies and meetings.

Is the regional government of Catalonia behind the demand to separate or not? Has that same regional government not advocated this agenda in the parliament and in the courts?

And this illegal referendum that is to hold, is it being coordinated by the organization you mentioned above or by the constitutionally recognised government of Catalonia? All of which are still actions without legality.


In comparison with the miscreants in Nigeria, has the South Eastern government from the local government to the state government to the federal legislators representing that region in Nigeria requested for any separation or for any referendum?

So who exactly is Kanu or IPOB to demand for anything on behalf of anyone?

In conclusion, even the regional leadership in the SouthEast has proscribed the same IPOB, while the government has labelled it a terrorist organization.

So let IPOB firstly find its own identity before trying to determine the political destiny of people who already have a globally recognised lawful leadership that has maintained that IPOB is just making noise.

So I repeat, who is Kanu and who is IPOB to demand for anything?