A dozen Catalan separatist leaders were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in October 2019, sparking protests in Spain. Nine of the leaders were convicted of sedition, though the court dismissed the more serious charge of rebellion. Catalonia attempted to break away from Spain in 2017, a move that was deemed illegal by Spain’s Constitutional Court. These convictions were a result of that failed bid. The defendants themselves have maintained that the charges were political in nature. In its decision, the Spanish Supreme Court held that the leaders of that attempt “led the citizenry in a public and tumultuous rising.”
As a response to the convictions, protestors blocked streets and access to the public transportation system. 108 flights have been canceled thus far as protesters engaged with the police at the Barcelona airport. The protesters plan long-term “civil disobedience,” and the Spanish government has ordered police reinforcements, leading to the risk of ongoing upheaval.
