Independence wins with 90 percent of votes in Catalonia

Violent clashes between police and voters broke out.

Catalonia’s separatist government had pushed forward with the vote despite opposition from Madrid and a ruling from the country’s top court declaring it illegal. More than 460 people were hurt.

Videos showed them beating people repeatedly as they try to confiscate ballots and ballot boxes.

Puigdemont, who eventually voted at a different location, said “police brutality will shame forever the Spanish state”. “We know this kind of thing”.

Alfonso Dastis told Sky News: “I’m sure you have seen what you have seen, but I have seen fake photos that date back to 2012”.

Asked whether he would vote, Guardiola said: “I’ll vote, by post“.

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the Spanish deputy prime minister, echoed that position, saying the police had shown firmness, professionalism and proportionality in the face of the “absolute irresponsibility” of the Catalan government.

“We call on all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue“.

Barcelona wanted to postpone the game but said the Spanish league refused the request.

On Saturday, Enric Millo, the most senior Spanish government official in the region, said police had sealed off 1,300 of the region’s 2,315 polling stations.

The police were ordered to clear schools occupied by activists, including parents and their children who remained in the school premises after the end of lessons on Friday, aiming to ensure the buildings can later be used for voting.

He said the door had been opened to a unilateral declaration of independence.

But nothing about the vote was regular – or orderly, transparent or peaceful.

Pique has played 91 times for Spain but has become a divisive figure because of his stance on the referendum.

Catalan officials say over 400 people are being treated for injuries due to police action. It added that 92 polling stations had been closed.

Several thousand parents and their children occupied hundreds of polling stations before the vote to keep them from being locked down by National Police and Guardia Civil militia officers.

“I want to make it clear that the only people who are responsible are those who have venerated the law”, said Rajoy, who insisted his government had “done what we had to do”.

“Today there has not been a self-determination referendum in Catalonia“, he said. The ministry said 11 police officers were slightly injured in disturbances.