Torn by referendum, Catalan police watch over their homeland
Spain's Catalonia regional police force, known locally as Mossos d'Esquadra, made headlines with its quick work after terror attacks last month. But with the region facing a referendum on whether to become independent from Spain, officers find themselves torn.
The Mossos, in their dark blue uniforms, patrol the streets of Catalonia, one of Spain's 17 autonomous regions with broad rights of self-government, and also operate special forces units.
The Mossos d'Esquadra has grown from its 18th-century roots into a modern European security agency with about 17,000 members.
Text from the AP news story, Torn by referendum, Catalan police watch over their homeland.
Photos by Emilio Morenatti