As Biafrans demand for a referendum to determine their fate, tense crowds have formed outside polling stations in Catalonia ahead of an independence referendum banned by the Spanish government.
Regional officials said ballot boxes were ready and predicted a big turnout.
The Madrid government has pledged to stop the vote and dozens of police vehicles have left their base in the port of the regional capital Barcelona.
Overnight, thousands of separatist supporters occupied the schools that were to be used as voting centres.
Police say they will be evicted.
Referendum organisers had urged voters to turn up "to defend" the polling stations at 05:00 (03:00 GMT) and to wait for voting to start at 09:00. They called for peaceful resistance to any police action.
"I have got up early because my country needs me," said Eulalia Espinal I Tarro, 65, who was outside a Barcelona school.
"We don't know what's going to happen but we have to be here."
Sunday would be an "important date for democracy", regional Vice-President Oriol Junqueras told TV3, the main Catalan public channel.
"We have overcome many obstacles, there's nothing that we cannot rise above," he added. "If we don't defend our own rights then who will?"
The ballot papers contain just one question: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?" There are two boxes: Yes or No.
The referendum has been declared illegal by Spain's constitutional court and thousands of extra police have been sent to the region. Many of the extra officers are stationed in two ships in the port of Barcelona.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41457238

Interesting

Will python dance be there?

Why what is their reason

,

Nice one,

Unity beggars won't see this ;Nice one,

These days the rate st which people are craving for power is nothing to write to einstein about

you can't compare Catalonia to the one happening in Nigeria, they didn't go about dragging unrelated group into their agitation, they didn't preach hate against others, they didn't insult others with different views, they didn't tell you "Your views are inconsequential " for dragging you & your people into their agitation.

Catalonia got my support, even tho some world powers like US are not in support of the secession I believe they go about their agitation in a reasonable and peaceful way. their leaders fought for the interest of their people, not touts who can't argue intellectually.

One thing to note is that, Spain practice a system of government different from ours (FEDERATION) So it was easier for them to pull out, reason we should first fight to get a regional government before thinking of secession.

I hope we go back to the way we were before, I hope Nigeria learns from this Spain saga, and I hope those secessionist group in Nigeria learn that you can't achieve anything by chest beating and insulting others .

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Efewestern:
you can't compare Catalonia to the one happening in Nigeria, they didn't go about dragging unrelated group into their agitation, they didn't preach hate against others, they didn't insult others with different views, they didn't tell you "Your views are inconsequential " for dragging you & your people into their agitation.

Catalonia got my support, even tho some world powers like US are not in support of the secession I believe they go about their agitation in a reasonable and peaceful way. their leaders fought for the interest of their people, not touts who can't argue intellectually.

One thing to note is that, Spain practice a system of government different from ours (FEDERATION) So it was easier for them to pull out, reason we should first fight to get a regional government before thinking of secession.

I hope we go back to the way we are before, I hope Nigeria learns from this Spain saga, and I hope those secessionist group in Nigeria learn that you can't achieve anything by chest beating and insulting others .

Unfortunately, despite clean bill of manner of approach given to Catalonia Separatists, they have not succeeded much in the realization of their dream just like Biafrans after many years of agitation. Spanish government is opposed to their demands and have likewise pulled out tanks to stop the referendum from holding.
However, methink we must understand how the government of the day think and approach the issue likewise. Between Biafra and Catalonia i can't tell who will gain independent first.

dabeto:
[color=#006600][/color]


Unfortunately, despite clean bill of manner of approach given to Catalonia Separatists, they have not succeeded much in the realization of their dream just like Biafrans after many years of agitation. Spanish government is opposed to their demands and have likewise pulled out tanks to stop the referendum from holding.
However, methink we must understand how the government of the day think and approach the issue likewise. Between Biafra and Catalonia i can't tell who will gain independent first.

Nigeria can't let any of her territory go without a fight, Spain operates a different system from ours. infact Catalonia is an autonomous community.

The iPod went about their agitation in a wrong way, you cant defeat Nigeria with such mentality, first of all get support from other region, igbos can't do it alone, each region should request we go back to a regional government, with that it will be easier to pull out. the Kurdish still practice a semi-autonomous system, reason they had their referendum.

Nigeria is designed to discourage any form of secession, why do you think Gowon created more states? the best way to go about any agitation is to first weaken the power at the center, with that each region can chant a new cause.

The Spanish government are already feeling the heat, sooner or later Catalonia will be granted independence, that's my wish for them.

They want to resist police action peacefully. Well goodluck to them however they choose to go about that. But I have this feeling that the police that might end up escalating the situation if those voters frustrate them well enough and from then on anything can happen including more ballot box and paper snatching. Keenly watching this and hoping to learn a thing or two.

hopeforcharles:
Why what is their reason

Whose "reason"?

mansakhalifa:
Whose "reason"?

For refusing them their referendum,
Is it now a crime to be out of something that is not working in your interests?

@hopeforcharles I thought you were trying to know the reason for the region of Catalonia wanting to leave Spain. That said,sovereignty is not a piece of cake that you can just cut a slice from and walk away that easily. The sovereign(Spain,in this instance) will always resist movements like this. It has always been that way and won't change now.