Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader now faces imminent arrest charges after defying the Government by refusing to give up his Declaration of Independence. Spanish media sources report that the sentence could be up to 30 years behind bars.

“The question is who’s in charge?” said Manolo, who did not wish to give his surname. Others wondered what could be next.

The Declaration of Independence signed in Catalonia’s parliament made Puigdemont’s arrest possible. His fellow government members and the party’s spokesperson, Teresa Forcadell, are also at risk for permitting the vote to go ahead without permission from Madrid.

After receiving refusal from the Spanish government, on a live broadcast on Saturday afternoon Puigdemont called for all Catalans to “defend our conquests”. Catalan activists are ready to defend the Declaration of Independence if needed, despite the fact that the international community has snubbed the Declaration.

“They’ve fired the president and now they’re telling us to hold elections. How can we have elections because Madrid orders them?” asked Mireia Garcia.

At least 150 officials and their appointed aides were stripped of their jobs by the measures. Diplocat, Catalonia’s network of foreign ‘ambassadors’ that has long raised hackles with the administration in Madrid, was another casualty of Spain’s measures. The morning after the Declaration in Catalonia, the nation was confused regarding the regime in charge.

Most of the activists are afraid that a boycott could represent a majority for the parties in Madrid.