Catalan Way : Police Pass Test with Honours

Guaranteeing security along 400 kilometers, traversing all sorts of terrains and involving people of every condition, was no easy feat. Catalan Police pulled it off, however, proving their worth and their ability to contribute to future post-conflict stability operations.

The Catalan Way, inspired by the 1989 Baltic human chain, prompted thousands of pages in the media even before 9/11, Catalonia's National Day. On the day itself, more than 100 international journalists covered the event, witnesses to Catalans' determination to regain their freedom, taken away by force of arms three centuries ago. However, while the political message is clear, it would be unfair not to discuss other significant aspects of this mass-event. We shall briefly discuss security operations. Their importance laid, among others, in the need to avoid any provocation or violent disturbance by Spain. This may have tainted Catalonia's relentless march towards a recovery of sovereignty. Also paramount was the need to show the world the high degree of professionalism achieved by Catalan Police (“Mossos d'Esquadra”), which once freedom is regained will be available to the UN, the EU, and NATO in post-conflict stability operations. Freedom never comes free, and only those ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for international peace and security deserve to enjoy the fruits of sovereignty. Today, Catalonia showed the world that she will be a net security contributor.

400 Kilometers, More Than 1.6 Million People: a Major Challenge

Any mass event, of whatever nature, poses by the sheer number of people involved a major challenge to a police force. Even in the absence of any man-made security threat, the law of big numbers tells us that some people may fall ill or suffer an accident for example. We then have to take into account opportunistic crime. Finally, the possibility of provocations or sabotage. When hundreds of thousands of participants are not concentrated in a single facility or even city, but rather spread along roads more than 250 miles long, dealing with all this becomes much more complex. On the one hand, the police needs to give the impression that they are deployed everywhere, in order to reassure citizens and deter criminals, provocateurs, and terrorists. On the other hand, however, they cannot just spread thin on the ground, since they could then easily be overwhelmed at any point where provocateurs or terrorists chose to strike, or where some accident took place. It thus becomes necessary to combine a balanced visible presence all over the area where citizens are holding the event, with the deployment of strong mobile reserves able to concentrate in force where needed. And all of this, of course, while guaranteeing security in the rest of the country and keeping in place essential services elsewhere. Clearly a tall order. Yet Catalan police succeeded.

A Quiet, Dignified Day, Without Incidents Worthy of Mention

The only exception would be the discovery of a fake bomb in the center of Barcelona, when participants in the Catalan Way began their way home, around 1800 local time. It was made of mobile phones and electric wire. The police evacuated the area and sent in a bomb disposal squad. People reacted calmly. Terrorists seek to prompt terror, there was no terror, so they failed. As Winston Churchill once observed in one of his inspiring WWII speeches, Catalans know how to deal with these threats. We did not buckle before real bombs raining from the sky, we shall not surrender to fake ones.

Police as a Symbol of Sovereignty

As people gathered, often hours in advance, to take part in the Catalan Way it was clear that this was a well organized event. The Catalan National Assembly, an NGO, deployed thousands of volunteers, from those responsible of making sure participants were distributed properly, to the myriad photographers in charge of recording the historic moment. One could also see ambulances at the ready, and in quite a few sections journalists, some from far-away countries. In addition, though, and most important, it was clear from the early morning that a massive police deployment was in place to guarantee the security of participants and to deter troublemakers, provocateurs, and worse. This was essential. Thus, while it was civil society which organized the event, it rested on the provision of security by the Catalan authorities. Thus, the small bit of sovereignty that Catalonia enjoys allowed the massive demand for full sovereignty to move forward. This is a reminder of the basic definition of a state: the public agency enjoying a monopoly on the use of force. This was clear today. Spain was nowhere in sight (except for some Civil Guard helicopters unfortunately not available for NATO operations), security was in the hands of Catalan Police.

Looking at the Future: Catalonia Is Back

Freedom never comes free. Catalonia is already responsible for most police tasks, and public order in general. As the country moves forward to recover full sovereignty, she will undertake, without any reservation, her international duties. Catalonia will be a security provider, not a free rider, and Catalan blood will be spilled in faraway fields side by side with that of our partners and allies. Planning for our future Armed Forces is already under way, with the cooperation of some key allies. While our military contributions to NATO and the maritime democracies may take some time, having an experienced, professional police force, means that we can contribute from day one to post-conflict stability operations. We will.