Hidden ballot boxes, encrypted texts: How Catalans staged their referendum - CNN - Erin McLaughlin, Claudia Rebaza and Elena Gyldenkerne:
October 5, 2017 - "Officers with Spain's national security forces, in full riot gear, smashing their way into polling stations, dragging women out by the hair, and firing rubber bullets indiscriminately into crowds as they turned out to vote. It was all part of a coordinated crackdown on Catalonia's disputed independence referendum – banned by Spain's highest court, but held in defiance of Madrid by Catalonia's passionate separatists....
"Despite the attempt to thwart the vote, more than 2 million Catalans made their voice heard. Now CNN has learned more details of the extraordinary covert operation that was mounted to ensure the referendum took place. A network of thousands of officials and volunteers squirreled away ballot boxes, conferred by encrypted messages and met in secret in an effort to get as many people to the polls as possible.
"From the educators who opened up their schools to the people who ferried the ballots and anyone who counted the votes, all risked a fine of up to 300,000 euros (about $350,000). Higher-ranking officials could even face jail. The chief of the Catalan police force, Josep Lluís Trapero, was called to Madrid this week to answer accusations of sedition, or fomenting a rebellion against the state, a crime that carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence....
"The plotters started using Whatsapp, but were worried it was compromised and turned to other encrypted platforms such as Telegram and Signal. Meetings were held in secret, some were canceled last minute out of fear.... The ballot boxes were assembled at the last minute.... In order to try to fool Spanish authorities, the components -- the plastic box, the lid, the insignias, and the box ties -- were stored in separate places.
"The night before the vote, ... activists slept at his assigned school to make sure authorities didn't seal it off. People tucked into sleeping bags spread across the gym floor.... By dawn there was a line of voters.... Some stood for hours, hearts racing as word spread that polling stations were being raided. Tweets and Facebook posts popped up on smartphones, showing voters and coordinators being beaten by the national police....
"Madrid denies that excessive force was used. 'If there was any use of force by police, in any way, it was because they were prevented from doing what they were asked to do,' Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis told CNN.
"Voting was plagued by technical difficulties and confusion.... At some stations, voter identities could not be verified electronically. People were allowed to vote anyway. The final result is still being tallied.
"The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, is expected to make a unilateral declaration of independence at some point after a special session of the Catalan Parliament on Monday."
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/05/europe/catalonia-referendum-covert-operation/index.html
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October 5, 2017 - "Officers with Spain's national security forces, in full riot gear, smashing their way into polling stations, dragging women out by the hair, and firing rubber bullets indiscriminately into crowds as they turned out to vote. It was all part of a coordinated crackdown on Catalonia's disputed independence referendum – banned by Spain's highest court, but held in defiance of Madrid by Catalonia's passionate separatists....
"Despite the attempt to thwart the vote, more than 2 million Catalans made their voice heard. Now CNN has learned more details of the extraordinary covert operation that was mounted to ensure the referendum took place. A network of thousands of officials and volunteers squirreled away ballot boxes, conferred by encrypted messages and met in secret in an effort to get as many people to the polls as possible.
"From the educators who opened up their schools to the people who ferried the ballots and anyone who counted the votes, all risked a fine of up to 300,000 euros (about $350,000). Higher-ranking officials could even face jail. The chief of the Catalan police force, Josep Lluís Trapero, was called to Madrid this week to answer accusations of sedition, or fomenting a rebellion against the state, a crime that carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence....
"The plotters started using Whatsapp, but were worried it was compromised and turned to other encrypted platforms such as Telegram and Signal. Meetings were held in secret, some were canceled last minute out of fear.... The ballot boxes were assembled at the last minute.... In order to try to fool Spanish authorities, the components -- the plastic box, the lid, the insignias, and the box ties -- were stored in separate places.
"The night before the vote, ... activists slept at his assigned school to make sure authorities didn't seal it off. People tucked into sleeping bags spread across the gym floor.... By dawn there was a line of voters.... Some stood for hours, hearts racing as word spread that polling stations were being raided. Tweets and Facebook posts popped up on smartphones, showing voters and coordinators being beaten by the national police....
"Madrid denies that excessive force was used. 'If there was any use of force by police, in any way, it was because they were prevented from doing what they were asked to do,' Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis told CNN.
"Voting was plagued by technical difficulties and confusion.... At some stations, voter identities could not be verified electronically. People were allowed to vote anyway. The final result is still being tallied.
"The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, is expected to make a unilateral declaration of independence at some point after a special session of the Catalan Parliament on Monday."
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/05/europe/catalonia-referendum-covert-operation/index.html
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