Catalans remain defiant over independence vote

Spanish authorities have seized Catalonian independence campaign leaflets and warned that jailing the region’s top politician could not be ruled out.

Central government is attempting to block next month’s vote which it says is unconstitutional .




Spanish police on Sunday seized 1.3 million pamphlets and posters supporting Catalonia’s independence referendum,… https://t.co/qFyhhXTq5D— Channels Television (@channelstv) September 17, 2017





Despite the raid, supporters of the referendum held a rally in Catalonia’s main city, Barcelona carrying posters vowing to go ahead.

Over the weekend 700 Catalan mayors also gave their backing.

“What can the police do to us if we are peaceful?” asked one woman. “We are just supporting democracy that’s all, democracy.”

There is even support for the referendum in the seat of national government, the capital Madrid.

It was last month that the Catalan parliament passed a law enabling the referendum but Spain’s Constitutional Court suspended it the next day.

Although polls show less that half of Catalonia’s 5.5 million voters support independence, most in the wealthy northeastern region want the chance to vote on the issue.




Catalonia independence vote: Spain threatens to arrest 700 mayors cooperating with the region’s referendum
https://t.co/JyNpt5bWBK pic.twitter.com/LAqr0GC2cm— dwnews (@dwnews) September 17, 2017