SHUTTING IT DOWN

Catalonia to Strike Over Violent Police Response to ‘Illegal’ Vote

Transit, schools, even the elite Barcelona soccer club protest Madrid’s response to independence move.

Large numbers of Catalans have vowed to launch a general strike in response to “the grave violation of rights and freedoms” during Sunday’s unofficial referendum. The strike, which was organized by Catalan trade unions and associations, is expected to paralyze large parts of Catalonia on Tuesday. Public transportation, schools, and clinics have all vowed to shut down in the region. Barcelona’s football team is also expected to take part in the protest, along with public universities in Barcelona and the Sagrada Familia, a major tourist site. The move is meant to “vigorously condemn” police violence during an unofficial independence referendum Sunday that was declared illegal by Madrid. Hundreds of people were injured as Spanish police tried to stop the vote by force, literally shoving people out of polling stations. More than 2 million people reportedly voted in the referendum, and Catalan officials said 90 percent of the votes were in favor of independence.