Catalan Referendum: Voting Begins Amid Police Crackdown

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41457238

I haven't been following this very closely, but what are Madrid trying to achieve here ?

Does the Spanish Government really think, that by trying to physically stop people from voting, the issue is going to go away ?

[Zacs-Master]

Democracy in action but trying to be stopped by a democratically elected govt. remind you of anything?

[Sqad]

This has been going on for as long as i can remember,Catalonia feels that she could do better out of Spain.....(bit like UK and Brexit) as that area is the richest and gives most to the Spanish Government.
Barcelona v Real Madrid always a grudge match.
Madrid (Spanish government) says go ahead, the referendum is not legally binding and is meaningless.
Catalonians are split on this...........not all want to break from Spain.
Trouble will start only if there is a YES vote to break away.

[youngmafbog]

The Catalonia problem is long running so it certainly wont go away.

Personally I think the Governments actions are daft. Let them hold the 'referendum' it is not legally binding (probably not a certifiable one either) and no one will be surprised at the result. If they had done this then the World would have reported for 1/2 day, if at all, and then moved on. Having scenes of violence by the rozzers serves no purpose.

[mikey4444]

Morning Sqad ! I hoped you might be on this morning.

Your last comment may now be rather academic, as there are armed Police on the streets...trouble has already started !

[youngmafbog]

// there are armed Police on the streets//

This is Spain all the Old Bill are armed.

[Sqad]

mikey...In Barcelona there are ALWAYS armed police on the streets........no big deal at the moment.

[Old_Geezer]

https://youtu.be/0kqyev46qyI

[mikey4444]

lol OG !

[Sqad]

[mikey4444]

Thanks Sqad...enjoyed that !

[Sqad]

LOL....I knew you (we) would.

[mikey4444]

Perfect situation comedy, as far as I am concerned, and never been bettered !

[ayrforce1]

I`ve been watching this on Barcelona tv this morning. I`ve seen police smash down doors with sledge hammers to seize ballot boxes, people hit with batons and rubber bullets fired into crowds. So called local police wearing balaclavas or having there faces partially covered.

[ichkeria]

I don't think the idea is to make the issue go away, but simply to prevent the referendum, which is not legal and has been gone about in a rather confrontational way by the Catalan government. The argument against stopping it is that it probably would have gone against the nationalists, but the very act of allowing it nonetheless appears to give it a legitimacy it does not deserve. The downside is that the tough reaction may harden opinion in favour of independence.

[jourdain2]

I think Ichkeria is right on this. A referendum, if held officially, would seem to have resulted in a vote to remain in Spain, from all the articles I've read recently. But people were saying that, although they wanted to remain in Spain, they also wanted to be able to vote democratically on it. By choosing the way of violence and repression the govt. has probably ensured that a much higher percentage of the population realise that they no longer live in a democracy and will be prepared to rebel. I heard chanting 'Franco' on R4 and also the 'wild music'......not good.