Catalonia Secession Vote: Independence Referendum Passes Despite Spain Using Police To Close Polls
The Spanish region of Catalonia, which includes the city of Barcelona, has voted overwhelmingly in favor of a referendum to secede from Spain after a day of violent clashes between police and voters, reports CNN. The Spanish government ordered the polling places closed and would not allow the vote. Despite this, eighty percent of the polling places remained open on Sunday, and the secession referendum passed with ninety percent of the vote according to preliminary results.
Throughout the day, militarily armed police were breaking into polling places and shutting them down. Over 700 civilians are reportedly injured due to clashes with police. Videos show Spanish police firing rubber bullets at civilians and bludgeoning unarmed voters in the face with truncheons during the clashes.Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said that government forces responded with legal authority to “provocation,” and did not acknowledge the more than 700 injuries due to police violence.
