Spain Rebuffed in Boosting Control Over Catalonia's Police

  • Interior Ministry ordered to coordinate three police forces
  • Premier Rajoy repeats vow to prevent referendum on Oct. 1

Catalonia Sets Independence Vote Deemed Illegal by Spain

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Police in Spain’s rebel region of Catalonia rejected giving more control to the central government in defiance of authorities in Madrid who are trying to suppress an independence referendum on Oct. 1.

The SAP union, the largest trade group for the 17,000-member Mossos d’Esquadra regional force, said it would resist hours after prosecutors Saturday ordered Bloomberg Terminalthat it accept central-government coordination. The rejection echoed comments by Catalan separatist authorities.