The leader of Catalonia has declared the region has won the right to become an independent state as Spain was plunged into a constitutional crisis amid global condemnation of a police crackdown that turned to violence.
The region’s leader Carles Puigdemont effectively declared independence when the results of an unofficial referendum are revealed in the next few days.
It came as more than 750 people were injured, some seriously, as baton-wielding riot police moved to shut down the vote, which was declared illegal by Spain’s central government.
Police burst into polling stations across Catalonia on Sunday, confiscating ballot boxes and voting papers as Madrid asserted its authority over the rebel region.
As rubber bullets were fired to disperse crowds protecting polling stations in Barcelona and other towns and cities, videos posted on social media showed police dragging voters from polling stations by their hair, throwing people down stairs and attacking Catalan firefighters who were protecting polling stations.
“With this day of hope and suffering, the citizens of Catalonia have won the right to an independent state in the form a republic,” Puigdemont said in a televised address, adding the European Union could no longer “continue to look the other way”.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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