Charging peaceful protesters with "terrorism" is one of the hallmarks of tyranny. But that's exactly what Spain is now doing in Catalonia:
Spanish police have arrested the organiser of a Catalan separatist protest group on suspicion of terrorism after she blocked motorways and high-speed railway lines.
The woman, who has not been named, was detained in a dawn raid yesterday by the Civil Guard in the town of Viladecans, east of Barcelona.
It is the first time since the illegal Catalan independence vote last October that any separatist has been charged with terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
"Terrorism" is supposed to require a significant element of violence. Here it is being used against peaceful protesters. And as the Spanish judiciary is not independent, there's no real hope of a fair trial or the charges being thrown out as ridiculous. Instead, Catalans will have to rely on the European courts for justice.
