‘We will spill our blood for Spain:’ Police association criticizes amnesty for Catalans

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - An influential police association in Spain on Friday called the deal to give Catalan separatists amnesty a betrayal, emphasizing that they are willing to give their lives to protect their country.

We are “ready to spill even the last drop of blood in defense of the sovereignty and independence of Spain and its constitutional order,” said the association representing the military branch of Spanish police – the Civil Guard.

The Pro Civil Guard Association (APROGC) does not represent all of Spain’s military police, but is deeply rooted within police leadership, according to Spanish daily El Pais.

According to the statement, Civil Guard officers view the deal “with deep concern,” referring to the pact the Socialist Party struck with Catalan regional parties to offer amnesty to politicians and activists involved in the region’s independence push up until now.

“We believe that it aims to empty out the constitutional mission,” the statement said, suggesting that political leaders “betray all the blood spilled and all the effort made by the Civil Guards.”

“How are we going to believe that we can enforce the law in the face of this message of impunity and disregard of the rules?” it asked.

The head of the Civil Guard is trying to identify the authors of the statement, according to El Pais. Spain’s leading daily reported that once the authors are identified, the Interior Ministry will study potential disciplinary or even criminal action related to violating political neutrality.

In late October, the ministry opened proceedings against the leading Civil Guard association for suggesting that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was committing a "felony" by defending the idea of amnesty.

In 1981, as Spain transitioned to democracy after the Franco regime, members of the Civil Guard and the Spanish military attempted a coup d'état that was stopped by King Juan Carlos.

The military police are not alone; the pact to pardon the Catalan separatists has stirred up anger across Spanish nationalists who take more of a hardline stance against the Catalan independence movement.

The far-right party Vox called for “permanent mobilizations” this week, and thousands of people have taken to the streets each night, protesting in front of Socialist Party headquarters.

Extremist elements took part in those protests, singing fascist hymns, giving the Nazi salute and chanting racist slogans. On three nights, they ended up rioting and facing off with police, who arrested dozens and deployed tear gas and rubber bullets.

Members of the mainstream right-wing Popular Party have also warned that the pact is eroding Spanish democracy.

The Socialist Party defends the deal, saying amnesty offers a way to normalize relations with Catalonia and find political solutions to political problems.

After Spain’s summer elections, regional parties like the Catalan separatists emerged as the kingmakers. Neither the left nor right-wing blocs won enough seats to form a government, but the left was willing to negotiate.

With several agreements with regional parties announced, Sanchez has ensured the political majority he needs to form a functioning left-wing coalition government.