Protests erupted in Barcelona earlier this week after nine of the twelve officials who organised an independence referendum two years ago were found guilty of treason and misuse of public funds.
The court also issued an international arrest warrant for former President of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont.
In 2017, the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia held a referendum on self-determination which was not recognised by Madrid. Over 92 per cent of the 770,000 people who participated in the plebiscite voted in favour of independence from Spain.