In deepest Catalonia, independence dream stalls.

DOSRIUS, Spain – A month ago, residents of the Catalan village Dosrius were facing off against police in their struggle to break away from Spain, reports AFP/BSS. Now independence has been declared — but nothing, they feel, has been gained. Indeed, they have probably lost what they had.

Spain’s central government has taken control of the region for the first time since the end of dictatorship in the 1970s. Catalonia’s separatist leader, facing likely prosecution, has fled to Belgium.