The arrest of 13 high-ranking officials of the Catalan government in the run up to the 1st October referendum has resounded around the world. Not only have the large international media outlets taken up the story, it's also been discussed by politicians and organisations from around Europe, including a number of MEPs, criticising the Civil Guard's actions against the referendum
Eurodiputats
The leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, wrote two tweets: one in Italian, one in Spanish:
Preocupados por tensión en Cataluña, confiamos en diálogo y solución política en el marco constitucional.Nuestro apoyo a compañer@s PSC-PSOE
— Gianni Pittella (@giannipittella) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Translation: Worried for the tension in Catalonia, we trust in dialogue and a political solution in the constitutional framework. Our support to [our] PSC-PSOE (Catalan/Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) colleagues.
He wasn't the only member of his group to discuss today's events. Ana Gomes from Portugal said that the result was Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, helping independence supporters.
Ou de como Rajoy ajuda os independentistas... https://t.co/fBMJonFORp
— (((Ana Gomes, MEP))) (@AnaGomesMEP) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Vice-president of the Greens/EFA group, Ska Keller, also criticised the police's actions:
Repression is no solution for a political problem. Dialogue and politics should prevail. #Catalonia
— Ska Keller (@SkaKeller) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Former Slovenian Foreign Minister and MEP in the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Ivo Vajgl, wrote:
Ivo Vajgl, eurodiputat @ALDEgroup i ex-ministre d'exteriors eslovè condemna la repressió contra el dret a l'autodeterminació dels catalans. pic.twitter.com/mvyRqZsBYf
— Aleix Sarri Camargo (@aleixsarri) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Also to comment was Flemish MEP Mark Demesmaeker of the European Conservatives and Reformists group.
Spaanse staatsgreep in Catalonie! Waar blijft @EU_Commission ? Solidair met Catalaanse regering en volk! https://t.co/wBX3HpOBOu
— Mark Demesmaeker (@markdemesmaeker) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Translation: Spanish coup in Catalonia! Where's the EU Commission? Solidarity with the Catalan government and people!
Fabio De Masi, part of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left group tweeted:
Die Erstürmung der katalanischen Ministerien heizt die Verfassungskrise weiter an. Dialog por favor! #Katalonien #Spanien #EU pic.twitter.com/Wp2lZTM2De
— FabioDeMasi (@FabioDeMasi) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Translation: The storming of the Catalan ministries heats up the constitutional crisis again. Dialogue please!
There was also a comment from his group's official account:
We condemn the unacceptable detentions & raids on institutions in #Barcelona. Solidarity to those protesting today! #movilizacioncatalunaEsp
— GUE/NGL in the EP (@GUENGL) 20 de septiembre de 2017
Finally, Martina Anderson, of Sinn Féin, tweeted:
.@M_AndersonSF criticises police raids and arrests of Catalan officials pic.twitter.com/pKXpSqQT8J
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) 20 de septiembre de 2017