The councilor of Territory and spokesperson of the Govern, Sílvia Paneque, has communicated that the Generalitat will appear as a private prosecution and will promote the appropriate criminal and civil actions for the serious disturbances that occurred this Saturday in Barcelona, which left 130 people detained and damage in various points of public space, in addition to looting in around thirty businesses.
According to the Govern agreement approved this Tuesday in the Consell Executiu, the Legal Cabinet has been tasked with initiating the necessary actions to safeguard the interests of the Generalitat for the damages caused in public space and for personal injuries, also assuming the representation, assistance, and legal defense of the Mossos d'Esquadra and the rest of the public personnel affected by the incidents.
In a statement before the media, Paneque emphasized that the Catalan Executive will use all the instruments at its disposal to act "with the full weight of the law" against the individuals who participated in the disturbances.
The councilor has stressed that these disturbances do not respond to any specific mobilization or claim and that they had not been seen before in Catalonia, pointing out parallels with similar episodes recorded "in the European framework, specifically in France," and defended that the police response was fully forceful.
In addition to the 130 arrests made, 76 of them minors, 300 people have been identified, and the Mossos continue to investigate who is driving these calls. Paneque has pointed out that "it takes time" to clarify this and has insisted that they will not cease until they find out.
The Govern agreement also contemplates that the Generalitat can exercise popular prosecution "as long as the legally established causes concur."
Responsibility of the minors involved
In relation to the detained minors, Paneque has indicated that the figure is significant and that procedures have already been activated through the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office to also analyze the possible responsibility of parents and legal guardians.
She has recalled that "the judge can moderate these responsibilities of adults and the Govern has also conveyed this willingness for it to be so."
Control of messaging platforms
Regarding the messaging platforms used to disseminate the call, he has defended that these services cannot become "spaces where this information circulates with impunity," which is why he considers it necessary to promote measures to regulate their operation.
In this sense, he has stated: "And here, if it is necessary to urge modifications at the European level, we will urge it from the Govern, because, as I say, the platforms cannot become a space of impunity where there are no responsible parties."
When asked about specific services like Telegram, he explained that they are "collaborating" with the Mossos d'Esquadra in closing certain groups and that all possible avenues will be analyzed, although he has called for caution so as not to interfere with police investigations.
Regarding a possible new call for next Saturday, he has indicated that the police devices are "adapting" to this type of disturbances that, according to him, do not respond to the scheme of a conventional demonstration, and he has assured that they will be better prepared on future occasions thanks to the learning obtained.
Political debate and criticism of the PP
Paneque has insisted that "it is not advisable to politicize" these events nor to turn them, he said, into initiatives linked to the current electoral context.
In this line, he has condemned the attitude of the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, whom he accuses of making "absolutely unfounded accusations" and of proposing unconsented proposals, after he has defended toughening the penalties for vandalistic acts.