Catalan Leader Accuses Spain Of ‘Unjustified Violence’ In Independence Referendum Crackdown

Violence used by Spanish police to prevent voting in what central authorities in Madrid have said was an illegal referendum on independence for the region of Catalonia was “unjustified” and could not “undermine Catalan people’s desire to vote,” regional leader Carles Puigdemont said on October 1. He spoke to journalists while visiting a polling station in Girona, where clashes erupted between police officers and voters waiting to enter the center minutes before he was expected to cast his ballot. The Catalan leader eventually voted in a nearby town. Puigdemont said hundreds of Catalans have been injured by police near polling stations. (Reuters)