Catalans go on strike over referendum violent crackdown

: Catalans took to streets of Barcelona to condemn the violent crackdown by Spanish security forces during the weekend referendum on independence, in which 893 people were injured.

The Catalan Government said it earned the right to split from Spain, claiming 90% of those who voted in Sunday's poll were in favour of independence.

As Catalans observed their general strike, all schools and universities were shut on Tuesday, small businesses were closed and transport companies ran reduced services so as to "vigorously condemn" the police response to the poll. But the result was not decisive: turnout was low, at around 42%.

Meanwhile, Madrid comes under growing international pressure to resolve its worst political crisis in decades.

CNN reports that Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said he expected strong support for the day of action and called for international mediation to resolve the crisis.

Spain's Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said Madrid would "take all necessary measures" to stop the "intolerable harassment" of national security forces.

The main trade unions, the CCOO and UGT stopped short of declaring a general strike, describing the action instead as a "work stoppage" to skirt labour laws that forbid strikes for political reasons.

-ANI