Barcelona, Spain - August 08, 2024

Catalan independence leader Carles Puigdemont returned to Barcelona on Thursday after seven years in exile and made a speech to pro-independence crowds.

Widely known as the chief architect of the failed Catalan independence bid in 2017, Puigdemont was back at the very same spot where he briefly declared independence for Catalonia.

"Today many thought they'd be celebrating my arrest, and thought that this punishment would stop us, and that punishing us was worth defying a law passed by Spain's very own parliament. Well, they are wrong," Puigdemont told the crowds at 9 a.m. and then disappeared, evading a warrant for his arrest.

A broad police search got underway that shut down the city but failed to find him.

A few hours later, a local Catalan police officer was arrested on suspicion of helping Puigdemont escape in a police car.

Puigdemont chose to return now, because Salvador Illa was set to take his place as President of the Catalonia Parliament known as "El Gobern." The socialist leader won the most votes in a recent election.

Puigdemont crashed that party, aiming to revive a Catalan Independence movement seeing its lowest support in 15 years.

His supporters are furious that an amnesty negotiated with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has failed to protect Puigdemont.

But there are others who feel differently.

Judicial powers have used legal means to skirt the Amnesty legislation and certain judges want the Independence leaders arrested.

All this presents a big headache for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Conservative party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo has called the saga "an unbearable humiliation," and with Puigdemont and his Junts party necessary to the survival of this government, foundations have been rocked.

Puigdemont is now back in Belgium where he lives, his party's secretary general Jordi Turull said on Friday.

Shotlist:
Barcelona, Spain - Aug 8, 2024:
1. Supporters of Catalan Independence leader Carles Puigdemont holding banner reading "never surrender";
2. Spanish national flag, flag of Catalonia on building;
3. Man carrying flag of Catalan independence movement;
4. SOUNDBITE (Catalan) independence supporter (name not given):
"This is unthinkable, unthinkable, that our ex-president and elected deputy can't even present himself in parliament without hiding like a criminal.";
5. Various of police;
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) anti-independence person (name not given):
"Personally, I'm not in favor of the independence; on the contrary, I think it's a political project that wouldn't be good for Catalonia.";
7. Various of police.

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