Several international politicians and MEPs from various countries that are in Catalonia as "international observers", invited by Diplocat, have criticised the use of "force" by Spain's National Police to stop the referendum. The delegation has witnessed several videos with images of police officers and Civil Guards trying to enter polling stations in Catalonia, and have asked to move to places where the vote was being prevented to be able to witness "in situ."
Many of them have denounced the situation in Catalonia through social media, whilst visiting various voting centres affected by the police repression. Some of them have attached photographs of police charging against civilians, and they have appealed to the European Union to comment on the matter.
The committee member from the Faroe Islands, Magni Arge, has been very harsh in their reaction and asked whether these events are happening in Europe in 2017 or in 1937.
The spokesman for this delegation, former Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel, also affirmed in statements made at the Civic Center of Sants in Barcelona that they consider it "very worrying" that the Spanish government wants to "forcefully block" the referendum. According to the spokesman of this international delegation, what is happening in Catalonia causes him "sadness" because "the Spanish police interferes with a democratic process where citizens can vote".
"The morning had started well, and we were optimistic, because we saw many people impatient to go to vote at the polling stations, and also because there were ballots and ballots," he explained. "However," he added, "we now see that there are many problems because the Spanish police try to prevent the vote using force, closing electoral colleges."