Spain’s top court has ordered a halt to a planned meeting of the Catalan parliament next week, where a declaration of independence was being planned by the region’s lawmakers.
The Spanish Constitutional Court also warned Catalonia’s speaker of parliament that she and other political leaders could face prosecution if they went ahead with the parliamentary session.
Speaker Carme Forcadell told reporters that the suspension was a “violation of freedom of speech” and that she “won’t allow censorship to enter Parliament”.
Her response came as Spain’s Prime Minister Rajoy also warned of “greater evils” unless there was "a statement as soon as possible that there will not be a unilateral declaration of independence”.