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EU must condemn Catalonia violence! Farage rages at Brussels silence after chaos in Spain

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NIGEL Farage has claimed the European Union is starting to “resemble the old Soviet Union” after refusing to condemn the violence by Spanish police that left more than 850 people injured amid unrest at the Catalan independence referendum.

Spanish police used batons and rubber bullets against voters in Catalonia on Sunday in a bid to disrupt the banned referendum, with the government in Madrid refusing to accept the validity of the vote.

Barcelona metro stations were closed, pickets blocked main roads and civil servants walked out today after pro-independence groups called for a strike while the Spanish government refuse to acknowledge the referendum result, which was 90.1 per cent in favour of independence.

Now, Mr Farage has lambasted the EU for failing to condemn the violence in Spain despite pleas from officials in Catalonia, instead simply reiterating the Spanish government’s line that the referendum is not valid.

catalan independence vote police violence spain eu nigel farage
GETTY•EPA

Nigel Farage has hit out at the EU for failing to condemn the police violence in Spain

Never, ever in my fiercest criticisms here did I think we would see the police of a member state of the union injuring 900 people in an attempt to stop them going out to vote

Nigel Farage

The former Ukip leader believes the EU “is in worse shape now than at any point in its history” and declared that Sunday’s referendum in Catalonia reveals the divisions that are emerging in countries across the bloc.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Farage said: “The EU’s response to this anti-democratic act has been telling. The EU Commission simply repeated the Spanish line that the referendum was illegal.

“It didn’t even condemn the shocking violence which was beamed around the world on TV news programmes.

“The vice president of the EU parliament, Ramon Luis Valcarcel of Spain’s ruling People’s Party, did commit to a position. He put out a tweet claiming the vote was a ‘coup against Europe’.


EXPRESS

Catalonia is located in northeast Spain and is one of the country’s wealthiest regions

“But then again perhaps his attitude – which most reasonable people would surely find extraordinary – is unsurprising given how closely the EU resembles the old Soviet Union: for the uninitiated, the EU has its own military police force – the European Gendarmerie Force – with 900 permanent personnel and a back-up of 2,300 officers on standby. The commissars of yesteryear would surely approve.”

Mr Farage slammed EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Strasbourg today too, claiming ordinary European citizens would be “stunned” by the bloc’s refusal to act, especially given its proactive stance on defending human rights in other parts of the world.

Mr Farage said: “I think European citizens will be stunned that Mr Juncker comes here for his one appearance and there is absolutely no mention made of the dramatic events that have taken place inside a European Union member state, that is allegedly a modern democracy.


EPA

Farage and Juncker pictured in Strasbourg earlier today

“One of the reasons that I always wanted Brexit was because I thought the system of law making whereby the Commission has the sole right to initiate legislation was something that would in fact damage, and in the end destroy, any concept of national democracy.

“And yeah, I’ve called the European Union undemocratic, I’ve called it anti-democratic, but never, ever in my fiercest criticisms here did I think we would see the police of a member state of the union injuring 900 people in an attempt to stop them going out to vote.”

He added: “Whether or not it was legal nationally for people in Catalonia to have a vote, surely people are allowed to express an opinion. We saw women being dragged out of polling stations by their hair, old ladies with gashes in their forehead.

“The most extraordinary display and what do we get from Mr Juncker today? Not a dickie-bird. In fact previously we had that the rule of law must be maintained and I think it is quite extraordinary to realise that this union is prepared to turn a blind eye.”


Source: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/861793/catalonia-referendum-eu-nigel-farage-independence-spain-police-violence-barcelona

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