Madrid orders crackdown on organisers of independence poll in Catalonia

Spain’s government has ordered Catalonia’s regional police force to identify officials at local schools and other civic buildings expected to be used as polling stations in a controversial independence referendum.

Spain’s government has ordered Catalonia’s regional police force to identify officials at local schools and other civic buildings expected to be used as polling stations in a controversial independence referendum.

Spanish authorities say the October 1 ballot on whether the Catalan region should secede from Spain is illegal.