Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 26 March 2018

Catalan ex-leader's capture in Germany sparks mass protests

By JOSEPH WILSON German highway police
KIRSTEN GRIESHABER stopped Puigdemont on
Associated Press Sunday morning near the
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A7 highway that leads into
Five months after going on Germany, police in the
the run from Spanish au- northern state of Schleswig-
thorities, Catalonia's former Holstein said.
president was detained in German news agency
Germany on an interna- dpa said that Puigdemont
tional warrant Sunday by was taken to a prison in
highway police after the the northern town of Neu-
ardent separatist crossed muenster. Dpa photos
the border with Denmark. showed a van with tinted
Carles Puigdemont's cap- windows believed to be
ture, aided by Spanish intel- carrying Puigdemont as it
ligence services, sparked arrived at the prison. Video
protests of tens of thou- footage also showed the
sands in Catalonia's main same van leaving a police
city of Barcelona and other station in Schuby near the
towns in the wealthy north- A7 highway.
eastern corner of Spain. State prosecutors in
Some of the demonstrators Schleswig said that Puigde-
clashed with riot police. mont will appear in court
Spain was plunged into its Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont stands with elected Catalan lawmakers of his Together Monday in the northern
worst political crisis in three for Catalonia party at a park in Brussels. The lawyer for fugitive former Catalan leader Carles Puig- German town to confirm
demont says that he is being held by German police on Sunday March 25, 2018 when he was
decades when Puigde- crossing the border to enter from Denmark. his identity. It said in a state-
mont's government flouted (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) ment that "the question of
a court ban and held an whether Mr. Puigdemont
ad-hoc referendum on in- until a new government for up to 30 years. side the city center, small has to be taken into ex-
dependence for the north- that respects Spain's Con- In Barcelona, riot police groups of demonstrators tradition custody will then
eastern region in October. stitution is in place. shoved and struck protest- cut off traffic on four differ- have to be determined by
The Catalan parliament's Spain's state prosecutor of- ers with batons to keep an ent stretches of highways. the higher regional court in
subsequent declaration of fice said it was in contact angry crowd from advanc- Police also used batons to Schleswig."
independence received with its German counter- ing on the office of the keep back a small crowd German state prosecutor
no international recogni- parts to carry out its request Spanish government's rep- of a few thousand in who Ralph Doepper told RTL
tion and provoked a take- to extradite Puigdemont resentative. had gathered in front of Television that Puigdemont
over of the regional govern- to Spain, where he faces Police vans showed stains the Spanish government's has been "provisionally de-
ment by Spanish authorities charges including rebellion of yellow paint reportedly representative in the city of tained, he has not been
that they say won't be lifted that could put him in prison thrown by protestors. Out- Lleida arrested."q

Scores arrested in Belarus opposition protest in Minsk

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Belarusian People's Repub- were among those arrest- 1994, sharply restricts op- ture," said a participant,
Scores of protesters were lic lasted until 1919. ed. position activities and inde- 20-year-old student Mikhail
arrested Sunday in the The anniversary is tradition- One of Belarus' most promi- pendent news media. Yaromchik. But in the eve-
capital of Belarus as sup- ally a day for opponents nent opposition figures, Although the march was ning, police began deten-
porters of the country's re- of President Alexander Lu- Nikolai Statkevich, was ar- banned, authorities al- tions on the fringe of that
pressed opposition tried to kashenko's authoritarian rested outside his home as lowed thousands to gather gathering. A journalist for
hold a march. government to try to rally. he headed to the gath- in a park to mark the inde- U.S. government-funded
The attempted demonstra- Journalists at the scene ering, his wife Marina Ad- pendence proclamation's Radio Svoboda, Galina
tion in Minsk was meant counted at least 70 people amovich told The Associat- 100th anniversary. Abakunchik, said by tele-
to commemorate Belarus' taken away by police. The ed Press. He was sentenced "Today it's well visible that phone that she had been
1918 proclamation of inde- human rights group Vyasna to 10 days in jail, she said. Lukashenko is the Soviet detained along with doz-
pendence from Russia. The said five of its observers Lukashenko, in office since past and we are the fu- ens of other people.q