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An estimated 80,000 people have joined the demonstration, according to the organisers although police reports put this much lower at 16,000. The main University of Barcelona has completely suspended classes in philosophy, geography and history and between 80-90 per cent of classes in all other subjects. The city’s main university has also been joined by other student institutions such as the UPC and the Pompeu Fabra, while 300 firefighters from the group Firefighters for Independence have also joined the demonstration to the chant of “Votarem” (“We will vote”).

Getty Thousands have taken to the streets of Barcelona to support the referendum vote

A spokesman for the organisation Universities for the Republic, Jodi Vives said: “It has been the biggest demonstration in the history of Catalan students. “We believe it has been very good, there are thousands of people who have news of events on all the Barcelona campuses and also from other universities around the country. “It should be noted that there has been a lot of private universities joining the movement.”

Spain crisis: Protest outside the Catalan High Court Fri, September 22, 2017 Pro-Independence Associations called for a meeting in front of the Catalan High Court building demanding release of the 14 officials arrested yesterday during a Spanish Police operation in an attempt to stop the region's independence referendum, due to take place on October 1, which has been deemed illegal by the Spanish government in Madrid Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 8 People demonstrate in front of the Catalan High Court building

EPA Some reports say around 80,000 people have taken part in the demonstration

Students in the Catalan capital have also been joined by students in Girona and Tarragona who have also been demonstrating while students in Lleida have been organising a mass street party. The latest demonstration today comes as part of growing unrest in the north east region of Spain as the Catalan authorities look to be on a collision course with Madrid over holding an independence referendum this Sunday. The Catalans have hit back as the Spanish Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy has tried to implement a number of measures to prevent the vote even taking place and the Constitutional Court has ruled that the referendum is “illegal”.

EPA Students have avoided lectures to demonstrate on the streets of Barcelona

The Guardia Civil has taken a number of steps to block people voting, including arresting a number of Catalan officials as well as seizing ballot boxes and voting slips and removing any material relating to the vote. Madrid has also attempted to seize control of the local Catalan police - Mossos - and ordered them to prevent polling stations from even opening although this has been strongly resisted by the security force.

Getty Students have backed the Catalan independence referendum