MADRID/BARCELONA ¨C Catalonia¡¯s police force told its officers to remain neutral in the struggle over the region¡¯s fight for independence from Spain, a step toward averting possible conflict as the Madrid government starts to impose control on Saturday.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed the Catalan government, took over the administration and called a new election after the regional parliament made a unilateral declaration of independence on Friday, aggravating Spain¡¯s worst political crisis in four decades.
The independence declaration, though dramatic, was almost immediately rendered futile by Rajoy¡¯s actions. Other European countries and the United States also rejected it and expressed support for Spain¡¯s prime minister.
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