Spain takes over Catalonia fires defiant separatist leaders
Josep Lluis Trapero
In one of the first moves  Spain's Interior Ministry published an order to demote  Josep Lluis Trapero  from  his  position as head of the regional Mossos d'Esquadra police in Catalonia.  He  will be allowed to remain as commissar.
 Trapero  became a controversial figure as the public face of the police response in mid-August to deadly extremists' attacks in and near Barcelona.  He  was praised for effectiveness but also criticized for coordination problems with other national police forces.
Spain's National Court is also investigating  him  as part of a sedition probe related to the banned Oct. 1 independence referendum  when the regional police were seen as acting passively â not aggressively â to halt the vote deemed illegal by a top Spanish court.
 Trapero 's boss  regional police director Pere Soler  said in a statement that he accepted his firing by central authorities in Madrid.
In one of the first moves  Spain's Interior Ministry published an order to demote   [TGT]   from  his  position as head of the regional Mossos d'Esquadra police in Catalonia.  He  will be allowed to remain as commissar.
 Trapero  became a controversial figure as the public face of the police response in mid-August to deadly extremists' attacks in and near Barcelona.  He  was praised for effectiveness but also criticized for coordination problems with other national police forces.
Spain's National Court is also investigating  him  as part of a sedition probe related to the banned Oct. 1 independence referendum  when the regional police were seen as acting passively â not aggressively â to halt the vote deemed illegal by a top Spanish court.
 Trapero 's boss  regional police director Pere Soler  said in a statement that he accepted his firing by central authorities in Madrid.