More than 2.2 million people across Catalonia cast their ballots in Sunday’s referendum, with an overwhelming majority choosing independence, despite Spain’s opposition. Amid a violent crackdown by the Civil Guard, almost 900 people were injured.
02 October 2017
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau has tweeted saying that Catalonian authorities “demand an explanation about the violent actions of the police against a defenceless people.”
In another tweet, she took aim at Spanish PM, Mariano Rajoy, saying that he “has hidden behind judges, prosecutors and police to avoid finding a political solution.”
The leader of Catalonia says the European Union should oversee mediation between the region and Spain.
Puigdemont has said that Catalonia will establish a special commission to investigate claims of abuse by Spanish police on voting day after more than 800 people were injured
Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has called for an urgent dialogue between Catalonia and Spain. Gabriel said it was vital to prevent events spiralling out of control after Sunday’s violent police crackdown on voters.
"The images that reached us yesterday from Spain show how important it is to interrupt the spiral of escalation," Gabriel said in a statement.
United Nations Human Rights chief Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad has urged Spanish authorities to “ensure thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all acts of violence, relating to Sunday’s referendum.”
The response, he said, by Spanish police “must at all times be proportionate and necessary” and the situation must be resolved “through political dialogue with full respect for democratic freedoms.”
Catalonia’s regional leader, Carles Puigdemont, is demanding the removal of all Spanish national police from the region, according to Reuters.
Spain’s Guardia Civil launched a forceful crackdown on voters and polling station administrators throughout Sunday.
Puigdemont said that Sunday’s result is binding. An estimated 90 percent of voters opted for Catalonian independence.
The Catalonian leader also said he has had no contact with the Spanish government.
Former FC Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has condemned the violence against Sunday’s voters. The club legend also said that the closed door match between Barcelona and Las Palmas should have been called off.
“In Catalonia they have injured a lot of people, people who only went to schools to vote,” Reuters reports, citing a Monday interview with RAC1. “The images are not deceptive. There were people who went to vote and they were violently attacked.”
READ MORE: FC Barcelona plays in empty stadium as defiant Catalans go to polls despite crackdown
“Barcelona against Las Palmas should never have been played, not at all,” the Catalan said.
The EU Commission has called on “all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue” in a statement released Monday, adding that “under the Spanish Constitution, yesterday's vote in Catalonia was not legal.”
“Violence can never be an instrument in politics. We trust the leadership of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to manage this difficult process in full respect of the Spanish Constitution and of the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined therein,” the statement reads.
Reuters reports that Jean Claude Juncker and Rajoy will talk Monday.
Spain could use its constitutional power to suspend Catalonian autonomy if it declares independence, Reuters reports Justice Minister Rafael Catala as saying.
“The article 155 is there. We will use the entire force of the law,” Catala said during a TV interview on Monday. “Our obligation is to resolve problems and we'll do it, even though using certain measures might hurt. But, if someone declares independence, well we'd have to tell them that they can't.”
The government of Catalonia has said that 893 people are injured as a result of clashes between voters and Spanish police, during Sunday’s Catalonian independence referendum, Reuters reports.
The referendum, deemed illegal by the Spanish state, descended into violence when police blocked people from attending polling stations. In some instances Guardia Civil officers forcibly removed people from the premises.
Former Catalan President, Artur Mas said the brutality of the police during Sunday's vote serves as "proof that the Spanish state has completely lost control."
"I think it's pathetic, dramatic, unacceptable," Mas said. "A democratic state in the 21st century cannot allow the police to act in a violent way when people here are simply willing to take a ballot and vote and decide the future of a country."
The head of the Catalan European Democratic Party, Marta Pascal, has demanded an apology and the resignation of the government headed by Mariano Rajoy. She also called on the international community to intervene and be "part of a political solution."
"In the name of dignity, we demand that Rajoy leaves and asks for forgiveness," the politician said. She added that the central government has failed to "assume any responsibility" for the police's brutal tactics and has failed to stand "as [a] guarantor of the democratic system."
01 October 2017
The massive police crackdown “prevented” an estimated 770,000 people from voting, Catalan government said.
The Catalonian branch of the largest CCOO trade union in Spain, as well Pimec and Cecot, have endorsed holding strikes on October 3 to protest the "violence" by "state security forces" who prevented voting during the referendum.
Venezuela's president has condemned the violence in Catalonia, noting that Mariano Rajoy's government in Madrid has an obligation to "respond to the world for what he did today with the Catalan referendum."
According to a communiqué from the Venezuelan Presidency, Nicolas Maduro expressed solidarity with the Catalans and stated that "Catalonia has the right to democracy, freedom, and tranquility."
A deputy of the Candidature d'Unitat Popular Party (CUP) in the Parliament of Catalonia has called on Barcelona to proclaim independence from Madrid next week, following the 'Yes' camp prevailing in the referendum.
"There is no alternative within the Spanish State to ensure the protection of people, their rights, freedom and the construction of a future with peace and social justice," Quim Arrufat said according to El Mundo.
Arrufat explained that proclaiming independence will make the referendum result binding, and warned that "repression and crushing of the state will be worse" if self-determination is not exercised.
Over two million Catalans, or 90.9 percent of those who voted said ‘Yes’ in Sunday's referendum, regional authorities said. Only 7,87 percent, or 176,565 voters said ‘No’ when asked if they want to attain independence from Madrid
International observers comprising present and former European Parliamentarians noted that the "the referendum of Oct, 1 has been conducted under challenging circumstances and we believe it has achieved a success."
The observers were invited to monitor the vote at the invitation of the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia.
Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont will on Monday chair the "extraordinary meeting of the Executive Council" at the Palau de la Generalitat at 10:30am, the regional government said, adding the meeting will take place behind closed doors.
Barcelona's Plaza Catalunya is packed with people who want to follow the announcement of the official result of the referendum.
The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia has released an official statement saying that Sunday's vote "was carried out thanks to the commitment, courage and bravery of millions of Catalans."
Carles Puigdemont also condemned "the brutal repression unleashed by Rajoy's government" and said democrats around the world are "shocked by the unjustified, abusive and severe police violence committed by the Spanish government."
Catalonia's Health Department has updated the number of people injured during Sunday's poll, saying a total of 844 people required medical assistance.
The Catalan branch of Spain's left-wing Podemos party has urged the international community to take a stand against Spain's "violence and brutality" during Sunday's controversial referendum.
"We demand loud and clear... that the international community should take a stand... If the EU and Mr. Juncker [President of the European Commission] close their eyes to what is happening in Catalonia, it would be clear that they are supporting repression, violence and brutality," Albano Dante Fachin Pozzi, the party's Secretary General in Catalonia told the media.
At least 33 officers were injured in clashes with voters during Sunday's referendum, the Spanish interior ministry announced on Twitter.
Nineteen police officers and 14 members of the Spanish Civil Guard military force required immediate medical assistance, the tweet said.
Spain's Prime Minister has announced that "no referendum" took place in the country.
"No referendum has been held in Catalonia today," PM Mariano Rajoy declared at a news conference Sunday evening.
The Spanish Foreign Minister has defended the actions of the national police amid the violence during the Catalan independence vote, restating the central government's claims that the actions were “proportionate.”
“You may think people were peacefully exercising their right to vote but the problem is this so-called referendum had been ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court,” Alfonso Dastis told SkyNews on Sunday.
Demonstrations for and against Catalan independence are taking place in the Spanish capital Madrid. El Pais journalist Constanza Lambertucci reports that large gatherings of people from both sides have gathered in the city’s Puerto del Sol public square.
The Catalan government has shared data showing a regional breakdown of where incidents of violence perpetrated by Spanish police took place.
Over 200 of the incidents took place in Barcelona while 80 happened in the town of Girona.
The Spanish Interior Ministry has shared footage of a chair being thrown at an officer of the Guardia Civil saying the force has been met with “harassment and attacks.”
The incident took place in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, 70 kilometers (43 miles) northwest of Barcelona.
The Catalan government has said “Spain is becoming the shame of Europe” after 465 people were wounded by the Spanish police force.
Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt has become the first prominent EU politician to condemn the events in Catalonia.
“On one hand, the separatist parties went forward with a so-called referendum that was forbidden by the Constitutional Court, knowing all too well that only a minority would participate as 60 % of the Catalans are against separation,” Verhofstadt said.
Verhofstadt also condemned “the use of disproportionate violence” by Spanish authorities in their handling of the situation.
The Catalan National Assembly has called on people to go to polling stations to “defend ballot boxes” in a message on their official Twitter account.
“Important! Let's go to the polls and stay there! We defend the ballot boxes to defend our dignity!” the message reads.
In a tweet Sunday, the leader of the UK Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn, called on Prime Minister Theresa May to appeal directly to her Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy, to end police violence in Catalonia.
The soccer match between FC Barcelona and Las Palmas, which took place behind closed doors in Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium after the Spanish league refused to postpone the fixture, has ended in a 3-0 win for Barcelona.
Catalonia’s High Court says that courts have received several complaints over the failure of the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, to close polling stations in the banned referendum, Reuters reports.
The Interior Ministry said that three people, including a minor, have been arrested for disobedience and assault during the clashes.
Spain’s Interior Ministry has said that 92 polling stations across Catalonia have been closed by police as of 4pm local time, Reuters reports.
The ministry says a total of 12 police have been injured during the unrest.
Social media is flooded with videos and images of police violence, including police attacking firefighters and older people.
Another video shows a woman being treated by paramedics after being found unconscious on the ground.
The Mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau has said that more than 460 people have been injured in clashes in Catalonia.
“I demand an immediate end to police charges against the defenceless population,” she said.
Spain’s five police unions have released a joint statement giving their support to the Guardia Civil, saying officers have responded “proportionally” by seizing election material and disrupting the referendum, La Vanguardia is reporting.
La Vanguardia is reporting that the Catalan police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, closed 221 polling stations until 3.10pm local time.
The force has said on Twitter that their intervention is being done “without affecting normal citizen coexistence.”
Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria accused the Catalan Government of irresponsibility in holding the referendum. The official claimed that the police acted with “firmness and proportionality,” targeting not the voters but the voting material. Over 300 people, however, have been injured in clashes with the police so far.
“There hasn’t been a referendum or the semblance of one,” the Deputy PM said.
Contrary to earlier media reports the soccer match between FC Barcelona and Las Palmas will go ahead behind closed doors in Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium.
The side from the Canary Islands had inflamed tension in Catalonia in advance of the clash by adding a small Spanish flag to their jersey.
The leader of the UK Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn, has criticized the actions of the Spanish police and called on the government to bring it to an end.
FC Barcelona's football match against Las Palmas has been postponed following violent clashes in the city. The game was due to kick off at 4.15 pm local time at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium.
It’s not yet known when the rescheduled game will take place.
The Catalan government said that 96 percent of polling stations are open for voting.
“The system is stabilizing,” the Government added.
At least 337 people have been injured in the clashes, according to the Catalan Government, which urged the victims to report their injuries to the local police.
Queue to a polling station seen in the Eixample neighborhood of Barcelona’s old city.
The Spanish Interior Ministry has published a video showing Civil Guard officers retreating from a crowd of protesters.
A person shot in the eye with a rubber bullet has been taken for surgery at Sant Pau hospital in Barcelona, according to Spanish media. The injured man was reportedly attacked by Spanish law enforcement as they tried to stop people from voting.
Nine policemen and two Civil Guard officers have been injured as they tried to thwart the vote, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.
The government of Catalonia has opened a blog on the WordPress website for citizens to cast votes online, as the Civil Guards earlier shut down a raft of online platforms and applications dedicated to this purpose.
The Spanish government’s representative in Catalonia, Enric Millo, said the Civil Guard had “acted with professionalism" during the vote, adding that it “has never been a referendum,” according to local media. (edited)
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has condemned the violence in Catalonia, calling on the Spanish government “to change course” and let people cast their votes peacefully.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has called on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to suspend Spain from the EU for a “clear violation of Article 2.”
People have gathered in the Spanish capital Madrid to protest the ongoing independence referendum in Catalonia, which the federal government considers illegal.
38 people were injured by police actions against activists at the referendum, Catalan emergency services have stated.
Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has decried the use of batons and rubber bullets, by law enforcement during the independence referendum in Catalonia, calling it “unjustified violence.”
READ MORE: Police use of batons & rubber bullets is 'unjustified violence' – Catalan leader
Police have attacked protesters outside Escola Verd in Girona. The officers were seen hitting people with batons, and attempting to push the crowd back.
Spanish police have reportedly fired rubber bullets at people queueing to vote in the referendum.
Princeton researcher Jordi Graupera posted a video showing people running from police vehicles, and officers firing what appear to be rubber bullets.
In a separate tweet Graupera posted a photo of projectiles.
Despite reported violence at many polling stations, some facilities remain open. Pictures on social media indicate that voters are peacefully taking part in the referendum.
Civil Guard officers have seized ballot boxes from the sports hall in the town of Sant Carles de la Ràpita.
People are seen throwing ballot papers at the officers as they are carrying away the boxes. Social media users say that the Civil Guard officers entered by force.
Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras has voted in San Vicente dels Horts municipality.
Scuffles have erupted between police and crowds outside the Ramon Llull School in Barcelona.
The Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has cast his vote.
“They cannot silence the voice of people. We will vote and win,” the president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Jordi Sànchez, wrote on Twitter, attaching a picture of Puigdemont with his ballot.
Law enforcement trying to stop voters from entering polling stations by force, as shown in multiple photos and videos on social media.
Law enforcement have entered one of the polling stations in Sant Julia de Ramis, Girona, after the start of the vote.
National police have been caught on video taking people from the crowd near one of the voting stations at a Barcelona school.
The National Police were deployed after the Catalan regional police failed to close polling stations in accordance with a court order, Reuters reports.
The Spanish Interior Ministry has posted photos on Twitter of the first ballot boxes and voting slips seized by police in Barcelona.
Spanish national police have started moving in on polling stations, local media report.
A police helicopter is flying over Barcelona, and there is a heavy police presence around polling stations.
Polling stations have opened across Catalonia and are scheduled to remain open for the next 11 hours, allowing people to vote for or against Catalonian independence.
Ballot boxes are arriving at polling stations across the region.
Local authorities have announced that Catalans can cast their votes at any polling station. Ballots printed at home will be accepted at polling stations, according to the regional government's spokesman, Jordi Turull.
Photos on social media show tractors parked near some polling stations blocking the roads to the facilities.
People are queueing at polling stations in Catalonia despite rainy weather. The polling stations will be open from 7am until 6pm GMT for people to cast their votes for or against the independence of the region from Spain.
Early Sunday morning, the Catalan government called on the 5,343,358 Catalans to vote in the referendum on self-determination at 2,315 polling stations spread across Catalonia, La Vanguardia reports.
Election volunteers at schools, which have been occupied overnight across Catalonia, have meanwhile been instructing people on peaceful resistance measures in case police move in to stop people from voting.
A convoy of around 30 Civil Guard police vans, unmarked vehicles and a truck filled with police officers has left Barcelona Port as lines of voters began forming at polling stations.
The Escoles Obertes (Open Schools) group which advocated for taking over Catalan schools ahead of the referendum, said by 4:00am, more than 40 percent of regional schools have been occupied, exceeding more 1,000 buildings, El Pais reports. The central government had previously issued orders to evacuate the facilities by 6:00am Sunday.
Catalans have gathered at polling stations long ahead of its opening, scheduled for 07:00 GMT, to vote in the region’s independence referendum despite the Spanish government declaring it illegal. Referendum supporters are bracing for a turbulent day following a crackdown by Spanish authorities on polling stations. Madrid has also ordered the arrests of Catalan officials and the suspension of the vote by Spain’s Constitutional Court over the last weeks.
While Spain's central government has deemed Sunday's Catalan referendum illegal, hundreds of Madrid natives staged a rally in support of Catalonia's right to self-determination.
Activists in the Basque autonomous region in northern Spain have taken to the streets of the regional capital Bilbao to show support for Sunday's Catalan independence referendum.
The demonstrators came "to support the Catalan people and their institutions, to say that tomorrow there is a referendum on the self-determination of Catalonia with which we agree," Arnaldo Otegui, the General Coordinator of the Basque pro-independence coalition Euskal Herria Bildu (EH Bildu) told Ruptly.
The Basque Country, Otegui added, "also has to start its own path towards the recovery of sovereignty."
30 September 2017
Catalan referendum activists have been shot at in the town of Manlleu overnight while protecting a polling station at a local school. Four people suffered light injuries from projectiles apparently fired from a pellet gun by unknown assailants.
“There are four people that sustained the impact of these little pellets, but they are minor injuries. Nobody had to be hospitalized and everyone is fine,” an activist told Ruptly video news agency. “This has been reported to the police, and it is being investigated. We hope this will be clarified, because, obviously, these kind of actions are unacceptable.”
Most of the public buildings designated to be used in the upcoming referendum are closed, Spain’s Interior Ministry said late Saturday.
“In some of the occupied buildings, minors and the elderly are being used to try to prevent police action,” the ministry added.
Madrid believes the Catalan independence referendum, scheduled for Sunday, is already “annulled by the rule of law,” government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said on Saturday.
“The referendum is not legal and has no international support, no electoral union, no ballot papers, no census, no tables, and today we also know that there is no electronic count of the possible results,” according to de Vigo.
The court ruled that 29 applications which could be used to count the votes were to be blocked, while the Civil Guard raided the Center of Telecommunications and Technologies of Information (CTTI) to enforce the ruling.
A polling station in a school in Gava was vandalized on Friday night ahead of the referendum. Some 20 masked people smashed windows and defaced walls with pro-Spain slogans.
“They were hitting things, destroying them, shouting in favor of Spain, in favor of Spain's unity, and against voting,” a witness of the mayhem told Ruptly. “We are not scared about not being able to vote. We all think that we will be able to vote. We are not scared about this. We are more scared about violence and this type of actions...They want to stop us from voting by force.”
Hundreds gathered in Barcelona, the capital city of Catalonia, on Saturday to protest the upcoming independence vote.
The federal authorities said on Saturday that police had sealed off 1,300 of 2,315 schools in Catalonia which had been designated as polling stations, according to Reuters.
The Civil Guard have raided the Center of Telecommunications and Technologies of Information (CTTI) to disable applications that could be used to count the results.
Dozens of Spanish nationalists marched through central Madrid on Saturday to protest the Catalan independence referendum and demand the acquittal of a group of ultra-right-wingers from a previous protest.
Catalans have set up camps in local schools, which are to become polling stations on Sunday. The locals are trying to prevent Spanish police from sealing off the facilities, as the law enforcers have been ordered to clear the sites.