"Well, just this: I'm accused of committing a crime, for speaking Catalan when I went outside to throw out the garbage. The Civil Guard, wanting to feel important in Catalonia." With this tweet, Manresa city councillor Josep M. Fius (JxCat party) reported the incident he experienced this morning on the streets of the central Catalonia city.
Doncs res, denunciat per parlar català quan anava a tirar la brossa... la @guardiacivil amb ganes de protagonisme a Catalunya
— Josep M Fius (@jfius) March 19, 2020
Spain's Civil Guard, which usually plays a very limited role in the policing of Catalonia, has arrived in Catalan territory to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, even though the Catalan government has reiterated that it does not need this kind of help. The first news of this operation is not about coronavirus but about freedom of expression. According to Fius, the Civil Guard registered an accusation against him because they considered he was provoking alarm and for constitutional reasons.
Ara mateix, uns piolins, han parat aquest senyor que tornava de comprar de la farmàcia. Desde un cotxe camuflat. S'han ficat tontos per que els parlava en català. #Manresa #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/mpwD3WqOb0
— 😷 ||*||(Baphomed75)😈CDR 😷 (@baphomed75) March 19, 2020
Translation:
"Right now, some Civil Guards have stopped this man who was on his way back from the pharmacy. From a plain-clothes car. They got all stupid because he spoke to them in Catalan."—Baphomed75
Fius told ElNacional.cat that the Civil Guard did not give him a copy of the accusation and they let him know that he will receive it in the next few days.
The pro-independence city councillor has begun to receive the support of other Catalan politicians, including PDeCAT party president David Bonvehí: "All our support, we who know you, know your character".
Tot el suport @jfius , els què et coneixem sabem del teu tarannà . Tot el suport @juntsxmanresa @PDECAT_Bages
— David Bonvehí (@davidbonvehi) March 19, 2020
La Guàrdia Civil denuncia un candidat de Junts x Manresa per parlar-los en català https://t.co/tRBXzVT4f1