Catalans occupy polling stations
BARCELONA: Supporters of an independence referendum in Catalonia opposed by Madrid occupied would-be polling stations on Friday in a bid to ensure the vote went ahead, as thousands gathered in Barcelona for the separatist camp’s closing campaign.
In one of the biggest crises to hit Spain since democracy was restored after the death of Franco in 1975, the referendum has pitched the wealthy northeastern region against central government and sown divisions among Catalans themselves.
Authorities in Madrid have instructed police to ensure no votes are cast in today’s vote.
A court on Wednesday ordered police to prevent the use of public buildings “for the preparation and organisation” of the referendum.
But, as classes ended for the day, small groups of activists, including parents with their children, on Friday peacefully occupied several schools in Barcelona where voting is scheduled to take place.
The occupations appeared to be partly coordinated by a platform of “schools open for the referendum”, which distributed a manual via social networks with instructions on how to occupy buildings and guarantee they were available to serve as polling stations.
Madrid has repeatedly warned those who help stage a referendum which the courts have ruled unconstitutional that they face repercussions.
On Friday, Spain’s Education Ministry said in a statement school directors in Catalonia “were not exempt from liability” if they cooperated.
But, Jordi Sanchez, the president of the Catalan National Assembly, an influential pro-independence organisation, said the court order said public spaces could not be used for the referendum today “but it did not say anything about leisure activities”.
“We have proposed that citizens organise activities, that they put in place a lot of activities to give life to these spaces, which on Sunday (today) should host the referendum.”
Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull said there would be “2,315 polling stations all over the region” for the vote. It was not immediately clear how many potential polling stations were being occupied.
Police had for days been seizing electoral items, such as ballot papers, as they followed orders to stop the referendum, while prosecutors had ordered the closure of websites linked to the vote and the detention of key members of the team organising the referendum. AFP