Police in riot gear fire rubber bullets at pro-independence activists

337 people were injured or bruised, according to Catalonian spokesperson

Ballot boxes seized by police in referendum banned by Madrid

Madrid appeals for "cooperation and respect"

Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets and seized ballot boxes from polling stations in Catalonia on Sunday as thousands flooded the streets to vote in an independence referendum banned by Madrid.

As the vote officially opened, scenes of chaos erupted as police began moving in to prevent people from casting their ballots, forcing their way into one sports centre in the town of Girona where the region's separatist leader was due to vote.

Catalonian government spokesperson, Jordi Turull i Negre, said on Sunday afternoon that 337 people had visited hospital with injuries or bruises sustained in the violence, and urged any other wounded people to report themselves to Mossos. So far 91 have been confirmed to be injured, one of them with a serious eye injury.