Rajoy calls for calm, then fires Catalan President, senior ministers and dissolves Parliament.

The Spanish Premier has added fuel to the fire by reacting to Catalonia's declaration of independence by dissolving the regional Parliament, dismissing its President, senior ministers and chief of police despite asking for "calm".  To any outside observer this looks like a recipe for disaster.
Premier Rajoy and King Felipe have adopted an imperial approach to the Catalan attempt to gain independence from the beginning.  They have opposed a regional democratic vote, giving Spanish police a free hand to use violence against voters on the day of the referendum.

Catalonia is split almost evenly on the question of independence so a democratic vote might have resulted in a win for either side. But an aloof and rigid government in Madrid refused to allow such a vote to take place. In this they were backed by the European Union who plead that there could be too many countries around for them to govern if secessions happen.
The Catalan response is firm and more responsible.  They will oppose the heavy-handedness from Madrid by non-violent means, civil disobedience and passive resistance.  As these are very powerful tools, more powerful in the long run than violence and physical force, the Spanish could have a long struggle on their hands.
At least that will be true if the Catalan independence struggle remains non-violent in the strictest sense.

Catalonia declares independence from Spain

Spanish Senate votes to trigger Article 151

On a historic day for Catalonia and Spain, Catalonia has declared its independence.  The vote was 70 - 10 with 2 blanks.  The Opposition had walked out before the vote was taken.

Within the hour the Spanish Senate triggered Article 151 which will give them power to remove the Catalan President Carles Puidgemont and his ministers from office.  The future looks ominous for both sides.

Whatever the reasons for their struggle for independence, the Catalan President his parliament and supporters deserve credit for their courage.  They have peacefully withstood a brutal put down by Spanish police on their own streets and later the threats of Spain's President (Prime Minister) Mariano Rajoy and the Spanish King Felipe.  The latters' actions and words were not conducive to a peaceful resolution of their differences with the Catalan independence movement.

The scenes of unbridled joy on the streets of Barcelona have been tempered by the aforesaid threats.

Because of their peaceful stance, their courage in the face of brutality and their steadfastness in the face of ugly threats from Madrid, my heart lies with the Catalan independence movement.

Macron's Double Speak on Catalan Bid for independence

When Emmanuel Macron was elected President of France I was pleased.  Without knowing much about him, I thought he might be a welcome change to his conservative predecessors.  The French electorate may not have known much about him either.  They may or may not have known of allegations of favouritism against his ministry while he was the Minister of Economy and Finance.  That happened in 2016 when he was invited speaker at a Las Vegas technology event that cost €381,759. They probably knew of his intentions to crack down on workers' rights as part of his reform.   Still they gave him a chance.

As an inspirational leader for change in the best sense he has been a big disappointment. His pronouncement on 10 October 2017, purporting not to intervene in the "Catalan matter" while at the same time being a major interventionist on behalf of the Spanish government, underlines that disappointment.

“If I were to intervene in the Catalan matter it would be interfering in the domestic affairs of Spain and that would be intolerable for the prime minister and for the Spanish monarch”, he said.

But he also said “ I continue to hold firm to this line in my declarations of support for Mariano Rajoy - because if I don’t there will be disintegration,”

In a word he will not intervene on the side of the successful Catalan referendum for independence but he will intervene to oppose it.

There was no word of outrage, protest or even concern about the brutal treatment of voters by police during that referendum.

Monsieur Macron signals No Change for politics in France