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Two Catalan Parliament deputies for pro-independence party ERC, Jenn Díaz and Josep Maria Jové, have reported a Spanish National Police agent to the Mossos d'Esquadra (the Catalan police force). They accuse the officer of having spat at and insulted them as they were passing the National Police's head office in Catalonia on Barcelona's Via Laietana.

It took place on 23rd July whilst the two were heading to Barcelona's Palau de la Música for the ceremony to award this years Creus de Sant Jordi ("St George Crosses", the second-highest civil decoration awarded by the Catalan government).

According to the complaint, the agent, who was guarding the building, in uniform and carrying a rifle, "abandoned the position he was in, because he had recognised us, and started to walk a few paces alongside us". Then, the "agent cleared his throat and spat on the ground towards us", the complaint continues. It says they then turned to look at him, at which point he called them "hijos de puta" (sons of bitches).

Díaz and Jové say that the agent "harassed us, intimidated us, and insulted us because he recognised us as pro-independence deputies of the party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya".

 

This isn't the first time the deputies have been victims of such an act. They say in the report that it "caused us fear and unease as it wasn't an isolated case, since we've suffered threats, insults and damage to our property due to our political ideology for months from citizens who, presumably, don't share [our ideology]".

In May, Díaz's car was vandalised outside her home in the town of Sant Andreu de la Barca.

Their party's president, Oriol Junqueras, has sent a message of support from Lledoners prison through a message on social media.

Translation: Friends Jové and Díaz, my maximum support from Lledoners. Fascism and hate must be erradicated from our society. Persist!

A number of other politicians have also expressed their support: