Catalan referendum: In pictures

Violence has broken out in Catalonia during a massive police operation to halt an independence referendum which Spain's constitutional court has suspended.

Emergency services have treated people who were injured when police smashed their way into polling stations to seize ballot boxes.

Warning: Some of the images below contain scenes of a violent nature

Image source, EPA

Image caption, National riot police carried this woman away from a gathering outside a school in Barcelona

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Image caption, Spain's deputy prime minister said police had acted in a "proportionate" way

Image source, EPA

Image caption, Hundreds of people queued to vote outside this school in Barcelona

Image source, EPA

Image caption, Hundreds of people were injured, Barcelona's mayor said

Image source, EPA

Image caption, A family in Girona embraces after voting

Image source, EPA

Image caption, At least 12 police officers were injured in clashes

Image source, UGC

Image caption, A witness in Barcelona sent this photo to the 91热爆's Tom Burridge - the man had been caught up in scuffles at a polling station

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Officers from the Guardia Civil tried to prevent these people from voting in the referendum

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, FC Barcelona's match against Las Palmas took place behind closed doors after a last-minute decision

All pictures copyrighted