The Spanish police launched an operation on Tuesday morning leading to an arrest of some pro-independence activists. The Guardia Civil paramilitary corps accuses them of rebellion and terrorism.

The activists are members of the Committees for the Defense of the Republic (CDR), several groups which have been protesting in the past few weeks against the latest measures of the Spanish government and judiciary by closing down roads, booing Spanish King Felipe and obstructing toll booths.

The operation has been ordered by the Spanish National Court, whose prosecutor said few days ago that it was looking into charging the CDR with rebellion. The CDR dismissed all accusations of criminal offences soon afterwards and pledged to continue carrying out non-violent acts of protest.

Six more arrested

On the other hand, the Catalan police also arrested six members of the CDR today in Malgrat de Mar, Arenys de Munt, Dosrius and Solsona. They accuse them of public disorder and attack against the authority during the protests of January 30 in front of the Catalan Parliament, when the swearing-in ceremony for president Carles Puigdemont was postponed following Spanish court orders.

