The shit in Spain falls mainly in the fan

[Valmy]

. I presume they'll end up having to ask the Spanish police for help, and Madrid will happily oblige.

If I were Madrid I'd say no. let them burn down their own city, especially if they are going to keep re-electing secessionists.

Secessionists are not the majority in Barcelona: out of 85 seats, 38 are for pro-secessionist parties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_(Parliament_of_Catalonia_constituency)

So...maybe not let them burn down Barcelona?

[chipwich]

. I presume they'll end up having to ask the Spanish police for help, and Madrid will happily oblige.

If I were Madrid I'd say no. let them burn down their own city, especially if they are going to keep re-electing secessionists.

That's a good way to turn more people into secessionists.

They won't have the cruel fascist Bananna Republic Spanish police to blame.

[chipwich]

. I presume they'll end up having to ask the Spanish police for help, and Madrid will happily oblige.

If I were Madrid I'd say no. let them burn down their own city, especially if they are going to keep re-electing secessionists.

Secessionists are not the majority in Barcelona: out of 85 seats, 38 are for pro-secessionist parties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_(Parliament_of_Catalonia_constituency)

So...maybe not let them burn down Barcelona?

It will encourage the Catalan police and prison authorities to stop appeasing secesionists.

[Iormlund]

It will encourage the Catalan police and prison authorities to stop appeasing secesionists.

They are ruled by secessionist parties in government.

Though in fairness the police changed its tune almost immediately after their commissioner was indicted and appeared before the judge, having been left to rot by his political masters. Proof that leniency and appeasement is not the correct path. Any pardon would be counterproductive and I for one will never vote for a leader that chooses to do so.

[celedhring]

Though in fairness the police changed its tune almost immediately after their commissioner was indicted and appeared before the judge, having been left to rot by his political masters.

Dude even turned Prosecution Witness during the trial, looking to save his own skin.

[chipwich]

Though in fairness the police changed its tune almost immediately

In which direction?

[Iormlund]

Though in fairness the police changed its tune almost immediately

In which direction?

The commissioner and other high ranking members of the regional police were complicit in the execution of the illegal referendum of the 1-O and the siege of the judiciary raid a few days before, siding openly with the separatist movement.

The commissioner and one of her lieutenants were indicted and appear before court not long afterwards. They were thrown to the wolves by their political rulers. When it dawned on them that they were facing jail time, they in turn threw individual policemen under the bus, arguing that they had given no orders to help the separatists and what happened was down to each agent.

That pretty much ended whatever allegiance the Catalan police had to the separatist leadership. Upon the declaration of independence, the new bosses immediately declared for the current order an thus killed any hope of the abortive state.
The men themselves are probably still deeply divided, as is Catalan society, but they are also well aware of the personal consequences now.

[celedhring]

[celedhring]

[Admiral Yi]

 

[celedhring]

There's also a video floating around showing a couple having sexual intercourse in their balcony while watching the riots, but I suspect it's taken from some other place and being passed as being from Barcelona.

[Valmy]

I love Europeans.

[Monoriu]

Same in Hong Kong.  I mean, if there is a riot going on downstairs, you can't leave for a while anyway.  May as well stay and wait until it is over. 

[celedhring]

Things have calmed down this weekend. Hopefully it remains that way going into the week, although radicals have vowed to keep the pressure.

We have a cop on the throes of death, and things could go ballistic if he dies. We are amidst a general election campaign and the right is grilling the socdems for being soft (imho, the socdems have done what they should, send police reinforcements and stay away from overreacting politically).

[celedhring]

Things have been calm since that first week, except for some small-scale demos. However, some radical separatist groups are apparently planning to attempt to shut down polling stations in next weekend's general election.