Spain sends in ARMY to Catalonia as it pushes region to brink over referendum

Troops from the Logistic Support Group 41 (AALOG
41) who are based in Aragon were told of their move
at about 7pm last night.
The exact number of soldiers is not known but according to the newspaper El Confidencial, two contingents of troops are being sent in 20 trucks.
It is understood their orders are to provide logistical
support to the Guardia Civil and national police still stationed in the region.
The appearance of troops is likely to be seen as highly
controversial as the President of Catalonia Carles
Puigdemont has previously referred to the presence of
the Guardia Civil and national police as “occupying
forces” and had said they should leave all four of the
Catalan provinces immediately.
Catalan referendum:
Brutality of Catalonia's
referendum vote
Tue, October 3, 2017
Scenes at the Catalan independence referendum.
The troops are believed to have been stationed at the
barracks in Santa Eulalia de Sant Boi de Llobregat, a
few miles from Barcelona.
Group 41 provides support services and maintenance
as well as workshop units and have previously been
deployed in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
The move comes after about 150 members of the
Guardia Civil were forced to leave their hotel
accommodation in the coastal town of Calella on
Monday after a protest by locals over what they say
was police brutality during the referendum vote on
independence that had been banned by Madrid.
Monserrat Candini, the mayor of the town, told a group
of 500 protestors: “We don’t want the hotels in Calella
to be a barracks.”
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The protestors repeatedly chanted “You’re not
welcome” at the Civil Guard.
The mayor later phoned the owners of the hotel
insisting they leave and the hotel has since closed its
doors to the public.
Nearly 900 people were injured as the police forces
attempted to prevent the referendum from taking
place with police in riot gear attempting to close down
polling stations and seize ballot boxes.
The police also charged at people wanting to vote
using batons and rubber bullets in an attempt to
disperse them.
Members of the Guardia Civil attempt to disperse
people wanting to vote
More than 2.2 million people managed to vote in the
controversial referendum with 90 per cent of voters
wanting Catalonia to become a separate nation,
outside of control from Spain.
Mr Puigdemont told the BBC he would declare
independence “in a matter of days”.
He said his government would "act at the end of this
week or the beginning of next".
King Felipe VI, in a televised address to the whole
country, said the organisers of the vote had put
themselves "outside the law".
He said the situation in Spain was "extremely serious",
calling for unity.

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