BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spanish riot police began to deploy in an area of Barcelona on Sunday shortly before polling stations were due to open in the disputed Catalan independence referendum, El Pais newspaper reported.

A video on El Pais website showed helmeted riot police in a standoff with a group of angry voters near a voting station at a Barcelona school. Voters raised their hands and shouted “out”.

The National Police were deployed after the Catalan regional police did not close polling stations in line with a court order.