catalonia

In Barcelona and other cities, protesters demanded Madrid release eight lawmakers and respect the regional decision to secede. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain's Constitutional Court annulled the decision.

The former leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, turned himself in on Sunday, along with four ex-ministers. A Belgian judge will decide whether to extradite them to Spain.

Carles Puigdemont, the separatist leader of Catalonia, is in exile in Belgium after his government declared independence from Madrid.

Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium with several separatist politicians, says he won't return to face "a political trial." Still, some other deposed Catalan leaders did arrive at court Thursday.

Catalonia's ousted leader, Carles Puigdemont, said Tuesday that he and several ministers left "to avoid the threats." Hours later, a Spanish judge summoned them for interrogation in a sedition probe.

Police escorted some members of the Catalan government out of their offices, as the ongoing crisis over Catalonia's independence claim continues to create uncertainty.

Two days after the regional government voted to secede from Spain, demonstrators rejecting the move marched and brandished Spanish flags in Catalonia's capital.

Catalan lawmakers have voted to establish an independent republic. Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate has given Spain's prime minister the authority to institute direct rule of the semi-autonomous region.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced he was invoking a previously unused Spanish constitutional article to "restore order."

Spain said it would invoke a constitutional clause allowing it to impose direct rule over semi-autonomous Catalonia after the region's leader refused to categorically renounce independence.