Spanish Police Seize Ballot Boxes in Catalan Referendum

Spanish national police began to seize ballot boxes and voting papers from Catalan polling stations, the Interior Ministry said, as some voters began casting ballots in Catalonia's independence referendum on Sunday.

Riot police clashed with voters outside a Barcelona voting station, where dozens of police used riot shields to push people back, a witness said. Would-be voters chanted "we are people of peace" and "we are not afraid".

Catalonia referendum: Riot police STORM polling stations as independence vote begins https://t.co/PYZENYBWs9 pic.twitter.com/fLMaQyvswJ

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Half a dozen armored police vans and an ambulance stood ready nearby, the witness said.

Elsewhere in the northeastern region, some voting stations opened at 9 a.m. (7:00 GMT) and people began to cast ballots. (Reporting by Sam Edwards; Editing by Adrian Croft).

Watch live updates of the independence referendum in Catalina.