It has taken the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, seven hours to speak publicly after learning of the summons from the Spanish Public Prosecutor to 712 of her fellow Catalan mayors for their collaboration with the 1st October referendum. Colau, in a pair of tweets at 8pm this evening, gave her support to the mayors "against intimidation and judicialisation". She also called for "political solutions now".
In a second tweet, this one in Spanish, she accused the PP (Popular Party) of "degrading the democracy it says it's defending" and wondering "what will come later". "More politics and fewer pyromaniacs!", she ends.
Contra la intimidació i la judicialització, tot el suport des d Barcelona als 700 alcaldes investigats x #1O. Calen solucions polítiques ja!
— Ada Colau (@AdaColau) 13 of September 2017
Translation: Against intimidation and judicialisation, all my support from Barcelona to the 700 mayors investigated for the referendum. Political solution are needed now!
700 alcaldes citados bajo amenaza d detención ¿qué vendrá después? PP degrada la democracia q dice defender. Más política y menos pirómanos!
— Ada Colau (@AdaColau) 13 of September 2017
700 mayors summoned under the threat of arrest. What will come next? PP degrades the democracy it says it's defending. More politics and fewer pyromaniacs!
For context, the City Council of Barcelona, less than three weeks before the vote, is still keeping an ambiguous position on whether or not it will collaborate with the referendum and cede municipal premises to hold it, as asked for by the Catalan government.