The director-general of Spain's Civil Guard, José Manuel Holgado, has today congratulated the gendarmes who acted against the referendum and independence process in Catalonia for "demonstrating every day the Civil Guard's commitment to the Catalan public". Holgado praised their "exemplary behaviour" in the face of a "difficult and complicated situation". The agents repressed the vote on 1st October last year, leaving over a thousand people injured to different extents.
According to the Civil Guard, the force's director-general today held a work meeting with the heads of the Units of the Area of Catalonia, which has more than 3,300 agents deployed in the four provinces. During the meeting, the officers and their director discussed the situation in Catalonia following the independence process and analysed the different actions carried out by the Civil Guard in recent months.
The officers in charge of the force in Catalonia also explained their work to the director, the developments of recent years and their expectations and plans for the future. Holgado was able to find out about the structure, organisations and problems faced in the area.
The director-general thanked all the force's agents for their service during the "difficult situation" over recent months and for their "exemplary behaviour". Holgado addressed them some words of congratulations: "You demonstrate every day the commitment of the Civil Guard to the Catalan citizens whom you serve, as well as the whole of Spain".
He also encouraged all agents to continue acting in the same way "because a large part of the citizenry value it very highly".