Footage has emerged showing thousands of people gathered in Spain’s capital in solidarity with Catalonia following reports of police violence during the referendum vote.

People can be heard shouting “Si! Si! Si!” (Yes! Yes! Yes!) in videos posted on social media in the city’s La Puerta del Sol square on Sunday– the day the Catalan independence referendum was held.

A demonstration was held in Spain's capital to protest the government's actions in Catalonia (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty)

Protesters rallied against the alleged aggressive tactics used by police officers against Catalans who were trying to get to polling stations to vote.

The region's government reported that 844 people were injured in Catalonia as a result of clashes with the police, which Catalan president Carles Puigdemont called “the unjustified, disproportionate and irresponsible violence of the Spanish state.”

The Spanish government responded by calling the police' actions "proportionate", and said it had sent the police to stop the referendum.

Pictures and videos from the protest in Madrid show thousands of people demonstrating on the streets on October I.

FC Barcelona also closed the doors to their Nou Camp stadium and played their match against Las Palmas in an empty arena in protest.

"We tried to suspend the game all day long but it wasn't possible," Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said.

Centre-back Gerard Pique added: “Today was my worst experience as a professional.”

Footage in Catalonia during the referendum were posted on Twitter, and one appeared to show riot officers kicking and using batons to beat men in firefighters’ uniforms.

Spanish police attack firefighters who were protecting Catalonians over referendum vote

Officers have also used batons – and in one incident rubber bullets – in an effort to remove people from polling stations.

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News