Catalonia firefighters have shown their support for the region's independence referendum by forming a human barrier between riot police and voters.
Thousands of people have turned out for a vote on whether the region, with a population of 7.5 million, should declare independence from the central Spanish government.
The vote has been deemed illegal by the Spainish government and the country's national police have been ordered to seize ballot boxes and voting papers from Catalan polling stations.
Footage posted to social media shows several riot officers kicking and using batons against men in firefighter uniforms.
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Hundreds of voters were also forcefully removed from polling stations, including elderly and young people, with violent clashes breaking out in the region's capital Barcelona and the city of Girona.
Police used batons and fired rubber bullets during pro-referendum protests.
Catalonia's government spokesman said over 337 people have been injured in the police crackdown. While the Spanish interior ministry said 11 police officers had been hurt.
Credit: PA Images
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The ballot has been blocked by Spain's Constitutional Court and Madrid for being at odds with the 1978 constitution so will have no legal status.
In a press conference in Madrid, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría blamed the violence on the 'crazy rush' of the Catalan regional government to hold the 'unconstitutional' vote.
"The referendum couldn't be held, and it's not been held. To carry on with this farce makes no sense, it doesn't lead anywhere," she said.
Defending the national police actions she added that objective had been to seize material associated with the referendum and not to target Catalans.
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The region of 7.5 million people has an economy larger than that of Portugal.
Source: Independent and CNN
Featured Image Credit: Twitter