Spain "pursues" the leaders of Catalonia because of the referendum on secession

Spain's public prosecutor announced on Thursday that it would launch prosecutions against leaders of the Catalan province after they called for a referendum on the right to self-determination, adding that electoral equipment prepared for the referendum would be confiscated.

"Criminal prosecutions are being prepared," said prosecutor Manuel Manuel Mazza, explaining that they were aimed at officials of the Catalan parliament who facilitated the adoption of Wednesday's law to organize the banned referendum and members of the Catalonian government who were later invited to the referendum on October 1.

France quoted Mazza as saying that he would issue orders "to confiscate judicial police for purposes, or tools for preparing or organizing an illegal referendum."

He added that the Public Prosecution "has issued instructions to the Catalan police to assist the judicial police, the Civil Guard, the National Police and the Catalonia Police to investigate all acts aimed at organizing the illegal referendum, whether or not they constitute irregularities, disobedience and evasion and"

Tension between Catalonia, which includes 7.5 million people led by 2015, is growing, and the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy in Madrid.