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Mossos d’Esquadra, kicking ass since 1719

buy "La ciutat captiva"I am reading an excellent book about the history of Barcelona from 1714-1860 called La ciutat captiva (“The Captive City”) by Ròmul Brotons i Segarra. It contains some fascinating information about the city, all packaged in a slick design with lots of graphics, primary resources, and period illustrations in the form of etchings and “auca” drawings.

I just came across a passage describing the original role of the Mossos d’Esquadra, who disappeared for a few decades following the occupation of the city, but then reappeared in 1767:

“Fins aleshores, les esquadres havien tingut un marc d’actuació exclusivament rural i limitat a les poblacions sense guarnició militar, on s’havien distingit per la seva brutalitat repressiva. A Barcelona, hi foren destinats un caporal i vint mossos, amb la missió de fer una ronda diària per la Rambla i les àrees de la Boqueria, Escudellers i Palau per controlar la mendicitat, el joc, i altres mals costums. També els fou encarregada la vigilància de festes i processons, la captura de desertors i l’escorta d’autoritats i personalitats, a més d’haver d’assistir el botxí en les execucions i de traslladar els bocins dels ajusticiats, un cop esquarterats, als indrets assenyalats per a públic escarment, ja fos el seu poble d’origen o allà on haguessin comès un o altre delicte (68).”

My attempt at a translation (abridged):

“Up to that point, the squads had been limited to rural areas without a military garrison, where they were reknowned for their repressive brutality. One corporal and twenty officers were assigned to Barcelona, charged with performing daily rounds of the Rambla…to curtail begging, gambling, and other bad habits. They were also responsible for parties and processions…in addition to assisting the executioner in his duties and transporting the remains of the condemned, once drawn and quartered, to the designated areas of public display…”

Those following the recent police brutality at student rallies against the Bologna Process will find a certain irony in these origins, I’m sure. From the looks of things, the Mossos have not forgotten their roots:

Click to watch the Vilweb video
Click to watch the Vilaweb video

Fun fact: this happened two blocks from my house.

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