"Fascist "Spain

Paddy I am horrified by the behaviour of the Spanish Government. I remember so well the atrocities and evil of Franco - imagine the number of people still alive in Spain who personally suffered under his regime or had dear friends and family who did. It seems to me that all this shows how thin the veneer of democracy is in present day Spain. A bit like Russia really with Putin in the role of Tsar. I would love our government to refuse any extradition request but I really can’t see that happening. However, I foresee a long legal battle ahead.

thankfully the Scottish people are firmly behind Ms Ponsati,They have raised around £70,000 in just two hours to fight her legal battle.She is a much loved and respected member of staff at St Andrews university where they have been showing their support for her and Catalonia on the streets .I cant understand WHY the rest of the EU and indeed the democratic world is not screaming in horror at the scenes on Catalonias streets or why Germany has agreed to to keep their ELECTED PM in custody .Well done to the countries who have refused to play this vile game .

less than an hour later fund standing at £97,000

She’s handed herself in - is that so the process of fighting the warrant can start? Will she be put in custody?

all this shows how thin the veneer of democracy is in present day Spain
Oh how true. I'm often horrified at how many of the older generation still speak very highly of Franco. But it's very difficult to apose these views especially when you are a guest in their house.

When this current trouble started,I remember seeing a woman in her 60/70s who had been beaten by the Spanish police for going to vote in the referendum and I thought of the life she had endured growing up in Franco’s Spain

she has been appointed a Scottish lawyer so the fight will start now .Fund is rising fast with now over £100k in 4 hours .The pictures from Catalonia are horrific ,people beaten for peacefully protesting .The Independence movement has always been peaceful...as it has here .The police are vicious thugs no more no less and some of the injuries sustained by civilians marching for their cause have been life changing ,one man who had a heart attack and was being helped by the surrounding marchers was also beaten along with the people on their knees helping.It beggars belief that no one is stepping in to put the brakes on Spain.It would appear the right wing is on the rise in Europe as well as here ...not something we thought we'd see again

www.crowdjustice.com/case/defendclara/

fund now standing at £133k and rising fast

When there was a referendum/ election specifically about Catalonian Independence the vote was overwhelmingly to remain as part of Spain - it was not very long ago. Many people did not vote in the last referendum as for several reasons it was not thought to be legal.
I have no particular view on the subject but there are always two sides and this fact was the one given by the EU for not intervening.

I saw the police for myself some years ago when I was there Some Brits had gone in the sea, it was a bad day and they d closed the beach I don’t know whether these were just hard Headed Brits or if they genuinely didn’t realise but blimey the police flew at then literally dragging them out the water and bashing them with truncheons all the way up the beach
What a truely difficult world we are living in I hope this lady will be ok

whether the referendum was legal or not these people were ELECTED by their constituents to run Catalonia ,the fact they are being imprisoned is shocking .Add the police brutality to the mix and it becomes toxic.This is not democracy at work .

I agree 100% paddy - and there is no way that Catalonia can be judged without taking into account the evil of Franco. There were no two sides in the Franco debate @0- well no good arguments for both sides - his side was utterly and completely evil and there is no defence to make - quite frankly it’s a bit trite to say there are always two sides if by that it implies there’s something to be said positively on both sides. Sometimes there just isn’t - apartheid South Africa, Pinochet’s Chile - I’ll refrain from including the worst example of all.

she has been bailed by the Scottish court,thank goodness someone has sense

Glad she is in Scotland where she will have the maximum support. And as an old St Andrean, I support her 100%

Totally agree with you Paddy. I was also surprised at how little the EU has had to say about this. It is indeed quite horrifying.

According to what some of the interviewees said on various news programmes, Professor Ponsati is being blamed for the violence on the day of the Catalan referendum because she - as education minister - allowed the schools to be used as polling stations. That's just daft. We could all see who was responsible for the violence that day and it wasn't the peaceful women and old people being dragged out by the hair. Neither was it the Catalan firefighters and local police who risked their livelihoods to protect their people. I think Spain is making a big mistake in its ongoing handling of this and I am - as ever - proud that Scotland is offering support and kindness, while complying with all legal responsibilities. I'm also a bit disappointed in the EU for - at best - silence on this matter.