The decision by a judge of the National Audience court to decree prison without bail for the leaders of pro-independence organisations ANC, Jordi Sànchez, and Òmnium, Jordi Cuixart, has already made its way all around the world.
Within minutes of the announcement, the BBC had already sent a "breaking news" tweet and gone live to their correspondent in Barcelona for their TV news.
Spanish judge orders detention of two Catalan pro-independence leaders accused of sedition https://t.co/ErgkOmXzS6
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) 16 de octubre de 2017
Al Jazeera also had a report from Barcelona, discussing the imprisonment of Sànchez and Cuixart in a piece which also covered the day's other big story from Catalonia, the response from Catalan president Puigdemont to prime minister Rajoy.
TV que llega a +270 millones de hogares en el mundo informando de las detenciones de los presidentes de la ANC y de Òmnium.#LibertatJordis pic.twitter.com/FuO1HanP5Q
— Juan Miguel Garrido (@Juanmi_News) 16 de octubre de 2017
As well as these two outlets, many of the major international news agencies sent "breaking news" alerts. They included the US Associated Press, the British Reuters, the French AFP and the Russian Sputnik.
Judge orders 2 leaders of Catalonia independence movement to jail during probe into possible sedition charges. https://t.co/2zJCVRngqF
— The Associated Press (@AP) 16 de octubre de 2017
Spanish High Court jails two Catalan separatist leaders pending investigation https://t.co/5O8CcxYkbA
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) 16 de octubre de 2017
#BREAKING Heads of two main Catalan independence groups held, say judicial sources
— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 16, 2017
MORE: #Spain's government alleges Sanchez & Cuixart involvement a catalyst to protester-police clashes https://t.co/SRYWvCECDp pic.twitter.com/XD6BJwKRaR
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) 16 de octubre de 2017
As for European newspapers, two of the first were the Belgian Le Soir and the British The Independent. Le Soir linked to an article which explained that Sànchez and Cuixart are accused of having "called for and encouraged the hundreds of protesters on 20th September" in front of the Catalan Economy ministry after the arrests of 14 high-ranking Catalan government officials in the run-up to the referendum.
Catalogne: les chefs des deux principales associations indépendantistes en détention https://t.co/mtKmn5tBaW pic.twitter.com/UpDnVJRuaJ
— Le Soir (@lesoir) 16 de octubre de 2017
Translation: Catalonia: The heads of the two principle pro-independence associations in detention.
The Independent takes a similar line, describing them as leaders of "the two biggest grassroots pro-independence associations in Catalonia", going on to say that the two were "heavily involved in organising a massive protest aimed at hindering a Guardia Civil investigation in Barcelona into the build-up for the 1 October illegal referendum".
A Spanish judge has just jailed two Catalan independence leaders https://t.co/sDGf5HSmYE
— The Independent (@Independent) 16 de octubre de 2017
A number of other Francophone media outlets have reported on the event, like France 24, radio station RTBF and the newspapers Le Vif and l'Indépendant.
Catalan separatist leaders jailed during sedition investigation https://t.co/oxu9DiTO8x pic.twitter.com/ROQt081148
— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) 16 de octubre de 2017
Catalogne: les chefs de deux associations indépendantistes placés en détention pour "sédition" https://t.co/p4Yx5MJ6Ml
— RTBF info (@RTBFinfo) 16 de octubre de 2017
Catalonia: the heads of two pro-independence associations placed in detention for "sedition"
Catalogne: détention préventive pour des chefs d'associations indépendantistes https://t.co/zIwTGvVOhh pic.twitter.com/093S4rjekJ
— LEVIF / L'EXPRESS (@LeVif) 16 de octubre de 2017
Catalonia: preventive detentions for the heads of the pro-independence associations.
#Catalogne : détention préventive pour les chefs des 2 principales associations indépendantistes catalanes #justice- https://t.co/bW8h1gHTOu
— L'Indépendant (@lindependant) 16 de octubre de 2017
Catalonia: preventive detention for the heads of the 2 principal Catalan pro-independence associations. #Justice
From Germany, DW News also picked up the story and, in the Netherlands, so did the country's public news broadcaster, NOS.
Spanish judge jails two Catalan independence leaders https://t.co/aXt0pLdei2 #CatalanReferendum pic.twitter.com/pV8eUczbmM
— dwnews (@dwnews) 16 de octubre de 2017
Una vegada més. La principal tv d'Holanda obre amb Catalunya. Avui amb les detencions polítiques.#Catalonië https://t.co/hCW9s7wlk3 via @NOS
— Oriol Serra (@oriolserra) 16 de octubre de 2017
Tweet: Once again, the main TV channel of the Netherlands opens with Catalonia. Today with the political detentions. #Catalonia.
Article headline: Two leaders of Catalonia's independence movement arrested