Spain orders removal of art work from Catalonia
Police in Spain's Catalonia region are removing medieval artefacts on Madrid's orders in an ownership battle with neighbouring Aragon.
The operation, which started before dawn, involves 44 items stored in the Catalan Museum of Lleida but originally from Sijena monastery.
Aragon claims they were sold illegally by the monastery's nuns.
The seizure comes as tension continues between Madrid and Catalonia over the region's independence push.
Dozens of people protested outside the Lleida museum against the operation, which started at 04:00 (03:00 GMT) and was ordered by Spain's culture ministry.
The legal dispute over the items dates back to the 1980s, when the artworks were purchased by the Catalan government. But a court declared the sale null and void in 2015.
Skip Twitter post by @hoy_aragon
Los manifestantes buscan romper la línea policial de seguridad ocasionando momentos de tensión con los Mossos pic.twitter.com/lJoVg7HQUc
— HOY ARAGÓN (@hoy_aragon) December 11, 2017
Report
End of Twitter post by @hoy_aragon
Pro-independence groups have called for more demonstrations in front of the museum. The sacked former Catalan leader, Carles Puigdemont, accused the Spanish authorities of plundering Catalonia.
