Nobody in the Catalan government palace believed they would be acquitted. But despite the expectations, the reality of the severity of the sentence has shaken the government, the majority of whom were colleagues and, more than that, friends with the defendants. Solemnly, from the Gothic gallery where two years ago Carles Puigdemont committed to putting into effect the result of the referendum, president Quim Torra today appeared to discuss the current "critical hour for Catalonia". He also called for an amnesty for the twelve and for urgent meetings with Spanish king Felipe VI and acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez.
During his speech, Torra was flanked by vice-president Pere Aragonès, his ministers, the speaker and members of the governing Bureau of the Catalan Parliament, former speakers of the Parliament and former Catalan president Artur Mas. A Spanish police helicopter was flying over the building and shouts could be heard from the first protesters arriving outside in plaça de Sant Jaume. The text, agreed between government partners JxCat and ERC in the last 24 hours, gave thanks and praise to "the dozen convicted". Twelve people, he said, who are "honourable, democratic and peaceful". As for the sentence, he said it is an "insult to democracy and contempt for all Catalans".
The president read a statement in English (see below video), as well as Catalan and Spanish.
"The sentence extends to all Catalans", said Torra, who added that "holding a referendum is no crime, it's not even considered in the penal code." As before, he reiterated his government's commitment to "not failing" on the path to independence, to following it "without excuses". In relation to the demonstrations which have started around Catalonia, the president called for a response of "determination, serenity, resolve, civility, democratic and peaceful".
At the end of his statement, Torra announced that he had asked Parliament speaker Roger Torrent for an opportunity to speak to the Chamber to finalise the agreement for the political response to the sentence. He also said that he will today send letters to the Spanish king and acting prime minister, asking them for urgent meetings to discuss "the crisis". He will attach the text of his speech today.
Treading the line
The government's initial reaction, therefore, remains one of prudence. The statement was a careful exercise in treading the line between the two impulses of different sectors of the independence movement: confrontation and pragmatism. Government sources tell El Nacional that redrafting of the text was finished on Sunday. At its heart, the priority of safeguarding the institutions of self-government, under the shadow of Spain taking direct control again.
The members of the government received the news of the sentence individually. During the morning, they started arriving at the palace, where the president had been since half past eight.
After his speech, president Torra went to plaça del Rei, where he took part in a ceremony with relatives of the defendants. Shortly earlier, pro-independence Parliament delegates from JxCat, ERC and CUP, as well as some members of En Comú, had appeared alongside speaker Torrent on the Parliament's grand staircase.
