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Images of bloodied pensioners and police firing rubber bullets into peaceful crowds shocked the world today as Catalonia attempted to hold a referendum on independence from Spain.

The Spanish interior ministry called the referendum illegal and said it will not recognise the result.

Meanwhile armed police were called to schools to shut down polling stations and remove voters.

As early reports emerged of more than 300 injured citizens and more than 10 police officers, Europeans took to the internet to condemn the silence from the EU.

Spain is a member state and the EU has insisted Madrd deal with the issue internally.

The referendum has thrown Spain into its worst constitutional crisis in decades and will have major implications for the entire nation and potentially the EU.