BARCELONA—Catalonia's regional government said Tuesday it was suspending its promotion of an independence referendum, a day after a decision by Spain's Constitutional Court blocking the nonbinding vote.

Catalonia's leaders still hoped to hold the vote on Nov. 9, said spokesman Francesc Homs, but meanwhile they are halting the campaign for the referendum to avoid subjecting public servants to possible legal liability for defying the court.

"As a precautionary matter, we can't put public servants and individuals against the ropes," Mr. Homs said. He described the suspension as "temporary and precautionary," adding that private citizens were free to promote the referendum if they so choose.

Mr. Homs indicated the government intends to take legal steps to have Monday's injunction lifted while the court considers the central government's request to declare the referendum illegal. He said Catalan authorities would soon present a plea to the court and hoped the justices would show the same speed in reviewing their claim as they did in accepting the central government's case on the same day it was filed.

"Yesterday, nothing ended and the determination of the government is to move forward," he said.