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Catalan referendum: riot police fire rubber bullets at independence protesters - live Catalan referendum: reports of riot police firing rubber bullets at protesters - live
(35 minutes later)
10.42am BST
10:42
Barcelona mayor calls on Spanish PM to resign
Barcelona’s mayor Ada Colau has called on Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy to resign and demanded police stop using violence against voters.
Police action against the peaceful population must stop. Today, in Catalonia and in the State, we have to demand it. #ResignRajoy
Las actuaciones policiales contra población pacífica deben parar. Hoy todos, en Catalunya y en el Estado, tenemos que exigir #RajoyDimisión
10.37am BST
10:37
Videos of Spanish police removing ballot boxes at Ramon Llull school in Barcelona while voters chant “we will vote” have been posted on social media.
Référendum en Catalogne: la police enlève les urnes à l'école Ramon Llull https://t.co/f3bpU61Z5D @ClaraVera14 pic.twitter.com/nwcPKQIENs
10.26am BST
10:26
Sam Jones
The Guardian’s Madrid correspondent Sam Jones has been speaking to more voters:
Joaquin Pons, 89, was also delighted to have cast his ballot, as he had done in the symbolic referendum held three years ago.
“Last time it was cardboard ballot boxes,” he said. “This time they were real. It was very emotional.” Pons said that he felt Catalans had had little choice but to proceed unilaterally.
“It would have been nice if we could all have stayed together in Spain but the Madrid government has made it impossible. It’s sad but that’s the way it is.”
Updated
at 10.36am BST
10.23am BST
10:23
There are still long lines of people waiting to cast their vote across Catalonia. El Pais journalist Alfonso Congostrina has posted a video of voters queuing round the corner in central Barcelona.
Enorme cola para votar #referendumCat en local @govern en c/ Baluard #barceloneta #CatalanReferendum #1Oct2017 pic.twitter.com/ffJ6kODJbK
10.13am BST
10:13
Sam Jones
Blai Antonio, a 76-year-old retired taxi driver emerged from the polling station at the Escuela Mireia triumphant and with tears in his eyes. Pushing through a cheering crowd, he said: “The experience of being able to vote has given me a satisfaction I could never have dreamed of. It would have been impossible under Franco – although his heirs are still in power. Catalan independence is important so that we can live in a democracy, which Spain isn’t. We send all our money to the government and get crumbs in return.”
Antonio said that, unlike some others, he had been able to vote in peace. “The oppressive police haven’t come here yet but we still have the whole day ahead of us and they could come and steal the ballot boxes with our votes in them. We just want to be able to vote free of the oppression of any state.”
Updated
at 10.26am BST
10.04am BST10.04am BST
10:0410:04
Stephen BurgenStephen Burgen
Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull has announced that 73% of polling stations have been able to open and asked for patience as “there are constant attacks on the computer system”.Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull has announced that 73% of polling stations have been able to open and asked for patience as “there are constant attacks on the computer system”.
Updated
at 10.28am BST
9.52am BST9.52am BST
09:5209:52
Rubber bullets fired by Spanish police 'Rubber bullets fired by Spanish police'
There are several reports on social media of Spanish police firing rubber bullets at people queuing to vote in the referendum. There are several reports on social media of Spanish police firing rubber bullets at people queuing to vote in the referendum. Princeton researcher Jordi Graupera posted a video of what appears to be a member of the Guardia Civil firing into the crowd.
Princeton researcher Jordi Graupera posted a video of what appears to be a member of the Guardia Civil firing at a crowd.
La poli surt disparant pic.twitter.com/4RyFWkaq3XLa poli surt disparant pic.twitter.com/4RyFWkaq3X
Updated
at 10.26am BST
9.40am BST9.40am BST
09:4009:40
The Spanish interior ministry has asked Catalan schools to collaborate with their operation to halt the referendum. A video of Spanish police confiscating urns in a sports hall in Sant Carles de la Rápita, Tarragona, was also posted on its Twitter page.The Spanish interior ministry has asked Catalan schools to collaborate with their operation to halt the referendum. A video of Spanish police confiscating urns in a sports hall in Sant Carles de la Rápita, Tarragona, was also posted on its Twitter page.
Agentes de la @guardiacivil requisan las urnas instaladas en el pabellón deportivo de Sant Carles de la Rápita, Tarragona#EstamosporTI pic.twitter.com/AHMpbUSQAzAgentes de la @guardiacivil requisan las urnas instaladas en el pabellón deportivo de Sant Carles de la Rápita, Tarragona#EstamosporTI pic.twitter.com/AHMpbUSQAz
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.46am BSTat 9.46am BST
9.27am BST9.27am BST
09:2709:27
Sam JonesSam Jones
Despite several reports of polling stations being closed down by Spanish police across Catalonia, the Guardian’s Sam Jones says hundreds of people are still queuing up to vote at Cervantes primary school and Escuela Mireia in Barcelona. Despite several reports of polling stations being closed down by Spanish police across Catalonia, the Guardian’s Sam Jones says hundreds of people are still queuing up to vote at Cervantes primary school and Escuela Mireia in Barcelona. People waiting in line to vote are cheering those who have already managed to do so.
People waiting in line to vote are cheering those who have already managed to do so. Updated
at 10.37am BST
9.16am BST9.16am BST
09:1609:16
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias has also been reacting to the intervention by Spanish police.Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias has also been reacting to the intervention by Spanish police.
He writes: “Bumps, shoves, old women dragged. What the PP is doing to our democracy is repugnant to me. Corrupt, hypocritical, useless. Is this your ‘victory’ Mariano Rajoy?”He writes: “Bumps, shoves, old women dragged. What the PP is doing to our democracy is repugnant to me. Corrupt, hypocritical, useless. Is this your ‘victory’ Mariano Rajoy?”
Porrazos, empujones, ancianas arrastradas. Lo que está haciendo el PP a nuestra democracia me repugna. Corruptos, hipócritas, inútilesPorrazos, empujones, ancianas arrastradas. Lo que está haciendo el PP a nuestra democracia me repugna. Corruptos, hipócritas, inútiles
¿Esta es vuestra "victoria" @marianorajoy ? #NoEnMiNombre pic.twitter.com/5HHbgRu6Ja¿Esta es vuestra "victoria" @marianorajoy ? #NoEnMiNombre pic.twitter.com/5HHbgRu6Ja
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.27am BSTat 9.27am BST
9.04am BST
09:04
The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, has voted in Cornellà de Terri, a village in Girona province. Catalan politician Jordi Sánchez posted a picture of the moment.
El president Puigdemont vota. No poden silenciar la veu d'un poble. Votarem i guanyarem pic.twitter.com/lQYf3Wq5ki
Updated
at 9.28am BST
8.55am BST
08:55
Stephen Burgen
Not every polling station has been raided.
There is a big crowd at Concepció primary school in Barcelona just around the corner from Balmes school which police have already raided but no sign of police so far here.
Updated
at 9.30am BST
8.48am BST
08:48
Barcelona’s mayor, Ada Colau, has tweeted her discontent about the Spanish police’s intervention in the referendum.
She writes: “A cowardly president has filled our city with police. Barcelona, city of peace, is not afraid.”
Un presidente de gobierno cobarde ha inundado de policía nuestra ciudad. Barcelona ciutat de pau, no té por #MésDemocracia @marianorajoy
Updated
at 8.53am BST
8.39am BST
08:39
Stephen Burgen
Enric Millo, Spain’s highest representative in Catalonia, has been speaking to reporters.
The sole objective of today’s operation has been to ensure that this illegal referendum does not take place and the Spanish and Catalan people can continue to live in peace and liberty as they have these past 40 years.
The referendum has not taken place. We will not accept that a government kidnapped by a minority imposes its ideas on society.
8.38am BST
08:38
El Pais journalist Josep Cata has tweeted a photo of the first vote being cast in Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, the smallest village in Catalonia. He says local police arrived when voting opened, but did nothing to prevent people from casting their vote.
Primer voto en Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, el pueblo más pequeño de Cataluña. Los Mossos han llegado a las nueve pero no han actuado pic.twitter.com/9GYor6Idvm
8.34am BST
08:34
Videos of Spanish police in riot gear removing urns from polling stations continue to appear on social media.
Stephen Burgen, who is reporting for the Guardian today, says police have taken away the ballot box in Sant Julià de Ramis in Girona province, where the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, votes.
Se llevan #urnas #barceloneta #referendum #CatalanReferendum pic.twitter.com/az2WYfknI1
Updated
at 8.40am BST
8.28am BST
08:28
Sam Jones
Our Madrid correspondent Sam Jones is with voters in a school Barcelona. He reports:
All is calm at the Escola Cervantes with Mossos hanging back but getting twitchy. The same isn’t true elsewhere in Barcelona. The scenes of Spanish national police in riot gear clearing polling stations in other schools are not going down well with the crowds.
8.23am BST
08:23
The Spanish interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, has just tweeted a video of police removing urns. He says the police are enforcing their legal mandate against the “illegal referendum”.
La @policia retira urnas para hacer cumplir el mandato judicial y la legalidad ante el referéndum ilegal. #EstamosporTI pic.twitter.com/o45f76yvSA
Updated
at 8.28am BST
8.04am BST
08:04
Polls open
Large queues have been forming outside polling stations overnight as Catalans wait anxiously to cast their vote, but there are already reports of Spanish national police in riot gear removing people from occupied schools and taking away ballot boxes from polling stations in Barcelona.
La Vanguardia correspondent Mayka Navarro just tweeted a video of Spanish police appearing to push voters back in the centre of the Catalan capital.
#1O La @policia en el colegio de la calle Marina de Barcelona pic.twitter.com/AHTMuTerTH
Updated
at 8.21am BST
7.54am BST
07:54
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of referendum day in Catalonia.
Spain is bracing itself for an unprecedented challenge to its territorial unity as the Catalan regional government stages an independence referendum that has been suspended by the country’s constitutional court and dealt a series of devastating blows by the central government in Madrid.
The Catalan government has predicted that 60% of Catalonia’s 5.3 million eligible voters are heading to the polls in defiance of the Spanish government and constitutional court, which have declared the vote illegal.
Neither the rain nor the Spanish authorities are discouraging many Catalans from turning out to try to vote. Hundreds of people have been queuing outside the polling station at the Cervantes primary school in central Barcelona since 5am. Inside are dozens of people - adults and children - who have been camped out since Friday night in the hope that their occupation will allow the school to be used a a voting centre.
Joan Garcia, an agricultural engineer who’s just spent his second night there, reports that people slept well. Officers from the regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, are under orders to empty polling stations and seal them off. But that’s not happening here. The police, who were greeted with a cheerful “Bom dia!” from the crowd, are coming and going but not intervening so far.The people who have gathered to vote are in good spirits despite the rain, but deadly serious about why they have come.
“I’ve been here since 5.15,” said 43-year-old Mireia Estape, who lives locally. “I’m here to fight for our rights and our language and for our right to live better and to have a future.”
Asked how likely it was that people would be allowed to cast their ballots, she was insistent: “We will vote today.”
One man in the crowd, who did not wish to be named, said that Catalans had a right to vote.
“I’m European, not African. In Africa they don’t let people vote.” He said he had come to because, “Catalans need to vote. They’re robbing us in Spain”.
It would, he said, would be a great day: “Spain has lost 22 colonies. Today it’s going to lose another.”
Another would-be voter was blunter about her motivation: “I don’t want to live in a fascist country.”
There was a moment of panic at ten to eight, when a car moved towards the crowd. But it turned out it was carrying a ballot box that was quickly taken inside to cheers and shouts of “Votarem!” (“We will vote!”).
Within 10 minutes, the organisers inside announce that voting would begin at 9am. The Mossos continued to maintain a discreet distance. Asked how he was feeling, one officer replied, with a shrug, “Well, here we are, aren’t we?”
Updated
at 8.54am BST