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Catalan referendum: 'Hundreds injured' in clashes | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Catalan officials say at least 337 people have been injured in clashes as police try to prevent voting in Catalonia's independence referendum. | Catalan officials say at least 337 people have been injured in clashes as police try to prevent voting in Catalonia's independence referendum. |
The Spanish government has pledged to stop a poll that was declared illegal by the country's constitutional court. | The Spanish government has pledged to stop a poll that was declared illegal by the country's constitutional court. |
Police officers are preventing people from voting, and seizing ballot papers and boxes at polling stations. | Police officers are preventing people from voting, and seizing ballot papers and boxes at polling stations. |
In the regional capital Barcelona, police used batons and fired rubber bullets during pro-referendum protests. | In the regional capital Barcelona, police used batons and fired rubber bullets during pro-referendum protests. |
The latest injury toll was confirmed by a spokesman for the Catalan regional government, as well as the region's health department. | |
Separately, the Spanish interior ministry said 11 police officers had been hurt. | |
At a press conference, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said police had "acted with professionalism and in a proportionate way". | |
Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont condemned the action of the national police and Guardia Civil, who were sent into Catalonia in large numbers to prevent the vote from taking place. | |
"The unjustified use of violence... by the Spanish state will not stop the will of the Catalan people," he told reporters. | |
Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido blamed Mr Puigdemont for what he termed the day's senseless events. | |
And the Guardia Civil tweeted (in Spanish) that it was "resisting harassment and provocation" while carrying out its duties "in defence of the law". | |
One voter, JĂșlia Graell, told the BBC that "police started to kick people, young and old". | |
She added: "Today, I have seen the worst actions that a government can do to the people of its own country." | |
The ballot papers contain just one question: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?" There are two boxes: Yes or No. | |
Ahead of the polls opening, the Catalan government said voters could print off their own ballot papers and use any polling station if their designated voting place was shut. | |
In Girona, riot police smashed their way into a polling station where Mr Puigdemont was due to vote. | |
Television footage showed them breaking the glass of the sports centre's entrance door and forcibly removing those attempting to vote. | |
However, Mr Puigdemont was still able to cast his ballot at another polling station. |