With Catalonia's leaders in jail, Spain hits the grassroots

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) " Ever since Spain's crackdown on an unauthorized referendum on secession in October, hundreds of self-proclaimed Committees for the Defense of the Republic are waging a campaign of economic disruption, blocking roads and highways and temporarily seizing toll booths in defiance of the Spanish government.

Though the activists say they are non-violent, Spain sees their activities in a different light. A female activist was arrested this week on suspicion of terrorism while six other people were detained for public disturbances in connection with pro-independence protests in January.

The defense committees were created last year in around 60 towns across Catalonia. Today, members say there is a network of over 300 committees. Many have their own unique logos and separate profile pages on social media platforms, which they use to gather people to their protests.