Police hunt ex-Catalan separatist leader after shock return from exile

olice in Barcelona are hunting for the separatist former leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, who made a dramatic return to Spain after a seven-year exile despite facing an outstanding arrest warrant.

The Mossos 'Esquadra - Catalan police - set up roadblocks within Barcelona and leading out of the city as part of Operation Jaula - or "cage" - aimed at finding Mr Puigdemont, who was seen leaving a rally this morning in a car. The operation was reportedly ended a few hours later.

For much of the past several years he has lived in Brussels, after police indicted him on charges linked to a failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017.

At the time, Catalonia's pro-independence leaders including Mr Puigdemont organised a referendum - which was ruled illegal by Spain's constitutional court - and later declared independence for the region. Madrid imposed direct rule on the region shortly after and Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium.

On Thursday morning, Mr Puigdemont briefly addressed hundreds of supporters who gathered near the Catalan parliament in Barcelona, shortly ahead of the expected investiture of a new head of the Catalan government. He said he had returned "to remind you that we are still here" and added: "Holding a referendum is not and will never be a crime. "Mr Puigdemont then disappeared. Many were expecting him to turn up inside the parliament building in time for the investiture ceremony at 10:00 (08:00 GMT), but he was nowhere to be seen. A Catalan police officer was detained on suspicion of helping Mr Puigdemont flee, a spokesperson for the Mossos d’Esquadra said. The officer allegedly owns a car in which Mr Puigdemont escaped after making his address, Spanish media said. Roadblocks have now been set up across the city, a spokesperson for Catalonia's interior department said in a statement. Spanish TV also showed images from La Jonquera, a municipality bordering France, where police could be seen stopping cars and checking the boots. Puigdemont ally Aleix Sarri criticised the police operation on X, saying: "Hundreds of policemen encircle Barcelona to arrest President Puigdemont. A hunt paid with public money to please the powers in Madrid. This is not what a democracy does."