On October first in Barcelona, Spain, crowds of Spanish secessionists went head to head with police. civilians were even seen throwing chairs and smashing bottles near polling places.
According to CNN, forty percent of residents managed to cast their ballots at select voting stations. Of those forty percent a ninety percent majority favored independence from Spain.
Just days before, according to Reuters, members of the Catalan National Assembly passed out fliers detailing the expected code of conduct which heavily emphasized not responding to police intervention with any kind of violence.
Spanish government spokesperson Enric Millo issues a statement in which he apologized on behalf of the officers that intervened. However, he went on to reiterate that the referendum procedures were still illegal in the eyes of the Madrid government, and violates the 1977 agreement of autonomy for Catalonia under Spanish authority.
As TIME magazine recently noted, two sides have arisen from this court-declared “illegal” referendum. Catalan voters calling for the region’s independence from Spain are doing so to allow for political and cultural freedom. The opposing side claims that independence is unnecessary.
On the extreme side of the political spectrum, many far right protesters wish to remain within Spain’s political and national jurisdiction to maintain pride and power in the European Union. This has been viewed as extremism by political figures on both sides of the debate. Many aligned with these political views proclaim their stance as “Unionistas.” While chanting and wielding flares in broad daylight, some members of this extremist group saluted at a rally in Barcelona on Spain’s National Day on October 13. Less radical non-supporters simply claim that independence will not benefit Catalan.
Even so, the president of Catalan, Carles Puigdemont, and other notable political leaders from the region have already published a Declaration of Independence, proclaiming, “We call on all states and international organizations to recognize the Catalan republic as an independent and sovereign state.” The BBC noted that he expressed his main interests for independence were to counter extensive taxes the wealthy region paid to Spain.
There were mounting pressures exerted by the Popular Unity Candidacy for the president to claim full independence by October 16. They threatend efailing to do so would have the “civil and political rights of the population still seriously threatened.”
While President Puigdemont heard calls for independence with one ear, he heard harsh ultimatums to stop the movement issued by Mariano Rajoy in the other. He was told that if he initiated independence or failed to comply government orders, Catalonia would have their right to autonomy removed from the Spanish constitution, rendering them empty handed. Only time will tell how this diplomatic discord will play out.