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Spanish Civil Guard officers remove demonstrators outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Susana Vera / Reuters
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Spanish Civil Guard officers disperse people outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Spanish Civil Guard officer pushes a man outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea
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A woman is grabbed by riot police near a a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo
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Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station for the banned independence referendum where Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was expected to vote. Juan Medina / Reuters
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Scuffles break out as Spanish Civil Guard officers force their way through a crowd and into a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Spain. Juan Medina / Reuters
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Scuffles break out between a crowd and Spanish Civil Guard officers, outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Spain. Albert Gea / Reuters
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A man is dragged away, after scuffles broke out with Spanish Civil Guard officers, outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain. Albert Gea / Reuters
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A man holds ballots at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
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A man raises his arms in front of Spanish police after the seizure of ballot boxes in a polling station in Barcelona, Spain. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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Spanish police seize ballot boxes in a polling station in Barcelona, on the day of a referendum on independence for Catalonia banned by Madrid. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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A man holds ballots at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
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People react at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
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A man struggles with police as more than five million eligible voters are expected to visit polling stations for Catalonia's referendum on independence from Spain. David Ramos /Getty Images
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Spanish police clear the entrance of a polling station in Barcelona on the day of a referendum on independence for Catalonia from Spain. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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Spanish Civil Guard officers remove demonstrators outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Susana Vera / Reuters
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Spanish Civil Guard officers disperse people outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Spanish Civil Guard officer pushes a man outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea
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A woman is grabbed by riot police near a a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo
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Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station for the banned independence referendum where Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was expected to vote. Juan Medina / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SQO66V3V2OSZSMU4NZHL3Y6ICU.jpg?smart=true&auth=6ebeb084db606ddaaec476d0535e6d3a3670df18519628242fd54ee15c7fd054&width=400&height=225)
Scuffles break out as Spanish Civil Guard officers force their way through a crowd and into a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Spain. Juan Medina / Reuters
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Scuffles break out between a crowd and Spanish Civil Guard officers, outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Spain. Albert Gea / Reuters
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A man is dragged away, after scuffles broke out with Spanish Civil Guard officers, outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Sant Julia de Ramis, Spain. Albert Gea / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3K2225VEJ566KPJ34BPKAMCBPM.jpg?smart=true&auth=8247aff65b53cfa7a7dedacb06a953afc34b7153af59222365ade1cfec11fdf9&width=400&height=225)
A man holds ballots at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
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A man raises his arms in front of Spanish police after the seizure of ballot boxes in a polling station in Barcelona, Spain. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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Spanish police seize ballot boxes in a polling station in Barcelona, on the day of a referendum on independence for Catalonia banned by Madrid. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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A man holds ballots at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KO5PSURODNXHE7T6D3A6FILDIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3054acd173001041667b9093c28694040697bb1eca4eae08fa3c8c07b8befca1&width=400&height=225)
People react at a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Yves Herman / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BU5TXDUPQISNIWOMWWKSAYQQXI.jpg?smart=true&auth=934cd25b64c20e27185b0521e3d03ccd7bb31d040f5149a0509c89b93de25e32&width=400&height=225)
A man struggles with police as more than five million eligible voters are expected to visit polling stations for Catalonia's referendum on independence from Spain. David Ramos /Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KLA6FKMYBTSDSDBH3BIJS4N5EI.jpg?smart=true&auth=07007a7d6afb50ff54236e4218b910f67fecdaeed46f3d97c2ca55fc6438f2a8&width=400&height=225)
Spanish police clear the entrance of a polling station in Barcelona on the day of a referendum on independence for Catalonia from Spain. Pau Barrena / AFP Photo
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Spanish Civil Guard officers remove demonstrators outside a polling station for the banned independence referendum in Barcelona, Spain. Susana Vera / Reuters
Defiant Catalans go to the polls as Madrid tries to shut down referendum
Despite a massive police presence, more than 73% of the polling stations across the region remained open
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The National
01 October, 2017
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