Catalans to hold general strike in response to referendum violence

A general strike will take place across Catalonia on Tuesday as citizens of the region respond to violent outbursts by security forces during Sunday’s independence referendum.

Officials in the region declared the right to secede from Spain after Sunday’s highly charged referendum, where a large majority voted for independence but the poll was marred by violence between the police and voters.

Almost 900 people were injured in the violence, and trade unions and other associations have called for the mass strike in reaction to protests by the police.

Flights and train services are expected to be adversely affected as a result of the strike, while several museums and public universities in Barcelona will be closed.

Two of Spain’s top unions said their regional leadership in Catalonia were encouraging participation in protests not in support of secession, but in response to the violence seen on Sunday.

"Our organizations in Catalonia are encouraging participation in protests against the excesses committed on October 1. In no way are we going to support positions that provide backing for the unilateral declaration of independence," said the CCOO and the UGT in a statement.

The Madrid government has dismissed Sunday’s vote as 'illegal', with prime minister Mariano Rajoy going so far as saying that 'there was no referendum' on Sunday.

The European Commission has sided with Rajoy in the fallout related to the tumultuous independence referendum, backing his claim that the vote was illegal but also calling for dialogue between Madrid and Barcelona.

European markets have mostly brushed off the ongoing tension in Catalonia, apart from the Ibex 35, which was down 1.21% on Monday. However, the Spanish index opened flat on Tuesday ahead of the strike.