Barcelona, October 2 (RHC)-- In Spain, more than 800 people were injured Sunday after Spanish police stormed polling stations across the country’s Catalonia region and tried to forcibly prevent people from voting in a Catalan independence referendum, firing tear gas and physically attacking prospective voters. 

The Spanish government says the referendum is illegal.  Ahead of Sunday’s vote, Spanish police seized control of ballots and fliers, raided the Catalan regional government’s offices and even shut down pro-independence websites. 

Late on Sunday night, the Catalan regional government said 90 percent of Catalan voters chose independence.  The Catalan government now says it plans to unilaterally declare independence from Spain within 48 hours. 

Spain says it will recognize neither the results of the referendum nor a declaration of independence.