Barcelona mayor calls on Spanish PM to resign amid Catalonia referendum

Barcelona [Spain], Oct 1(ANI): Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau has called on Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign amid the Catalonia's independence referendum which begun today with clashes occurring as police attempted to prevent voting from taking place.

The mayor also demanded that police must stop using violence against voters.

"Police action against the peaceful population must stop. Today, in Catalonia and in the state, we have to demand it," she tweeted.

Catalonia's independence referendum is underway in the towns and cities across the northeastern region, with the Spanish security forces entering many sites and attempting to confiscate ballot boxes.

The Spanish Government has pledged to stop the poll, which is declared illegal by the country's constitutional court.

There was an extraordinary show of determination as thousands turned out to vote despite threats from the government in Madrid.

The Spanish government considers the referendum unconstitutional and had ordered the police to seal public facilities to prevent voting.

Meanwhile, the Spanish interior ministry had asked Catalan schools to collaborate with their operation to halt the referendum. (ANI)