Catalan fury at vote raids

SPAIN’S Government was branded “totalitarian” after 12 Catalan officials were arrested ahead of the independence referendum.

The mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau said it was “a democratic scandal” and FC Barcelona, in a rare political statement, condemned the raids.

Spain PM Mariano Rajoy has vowed to stop the poll on October 1. Ballot boxes and 1.5 million letters have been confiscated.