FORMER First Minister Alex Salmond has slammed Europe’s leaders for not standing up to Spain’s “state violence” against pro-independence campaigners in Catalonia

Speaking in Barcelona to 2000 people at the National Assembly of the Partit Democrata Europeu Catala (PDeCat), the Catalan European Democratic Party, Salmond said: “The future of Catalunya should be determined by the peoples of this nation. The ballot box is supreme in a democratic, liberal society. It is not for state police to determine who shall vote and who shall not.

READ: Alex Salmond's speech to Catalan independence supporters in Barcelona

“It is to the eternal shame of the leadership of Europe that in the main they found themselves unable to take a stand against state violence. And your patience and courage in sustaining a peaceful path has drawn admiration from people across this continent and throughout this world.

He added: “I bring you greetings from Scotland where we, like you, celebrate the suspension of the arrest warrant against Clara Ponsati, your former Minister of Education.”