About 100 people gathered in front of the court's building and chained themselves to the gates blocking the entrance of the institution for about an hour, the Mundo newspaper reported citing its own sources.
According to the newspaper, the action was dedicated to the anniversary of a coup attempt in Spain on February 23, 1981. The protesters also demanded the release of jailed supporters of Catalan independence from Madrid.
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Esta mañana en el TSJ de Cataluña. Mossos d´Esquadra acompañan a 14 jóvenes del CDR al Inem a buscar trabajo. Como era de esperar, se han quejado amargamente. pic.twitter.com/JvrsxRNdro
— Sheldon (@numer344) 23 февраля 2018 г.
TWEET: This morning at the the High Court of Justice of Catalonia. Police accompanies 14 young people from the CDR to Inem to look for work. As expected, they have complained bitterly.
Tota la solidaritat amb les companyes detingudes!
— Vidal Aragonés (@VidalAragones) 23 февраля 2018 г.
No construirem República si a cada actuació en defensa de la mateixa no evitem la resposta repressiva!
Per si algú dubtava avui han estat els Mossos d'Esquadra qui feien les detencions. pic.twitter.com/LeL8mRvy5e
TWEET: All solidarity with detained colleagues! We will not build Republic if each action in defense of it does not prevent the repressive response! In case anyone was hesitating today they were the police who carried out the arrests.
Els Mossos d'Esquadra gravant totes les cares de les persones encadenades al Tribunal Superior de Justícia de Catalunya. Quina democràcia…
— Aram 🔥😍🤣 (@Aramrp) 23 февраля 2018 г.
Aturem el cop d'estat! #SensePor #ConstruïmRepública pic.twitter.com/XhQzEDede3
TWEET: The police records all the faces of the people chained to the High Court of Justice of Catalonia. What democracy… We stop the coup! #SensePor # ConstruïmRepública
A number of Catalan residents were detained against the backdrop of the developments aimed at the region's secession from Spain. The majority of the Catalan voters backed the secession in the independence referendum on October 1. The plebiscite was not recognized by Madrid, which subsequently imposed direct rule over the autonomous region and dismissed its government. A number of Catalan officials, such as head of the Catalan Omnium Cultural Jordi Cuixar, and Catalan ex-Vice President Oriol Junqueras, were detained and arrested following the October vote.