On the streets of Spain

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A man steers his tractor during a protest by farmers in Barcelona. The city is the capital of Catalonia and - with 1.6 million residents - Spain's second-largest city. (Keystone / Bob Edme) Keystone / AP Photo / Bob Edme)

Demonstrators gathered in favour of the right to decide in Catalonia at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, the Spanish capital. Spanish National Police officers and Civil Guards had been deployed to prevent people from entering polling centres to vote in the Catalan independence referendum. (Keystone / Luca Piergiovanni) Keystone / Luca Piergiovanni

On the other side: Demonstrators in Barcelona defending the unity of Spain and protesting against the disputed referendum. (Keystone / Manu Fernandez) Keystone / AP Photo / Manu Fernandez

Spanish National Police pushing away referendum supporters outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona. During Sunday's violent clashes, around 800 people were injured. (Keystone / Emilio Morenatti) Keystone / AP Photo / Emilio Morenatti

Volunteers, acting as polling station officials, starting to count ballots during a blackout after the polling station closed at the La Llacuna school in the Poble Nou neighbourhood in Barcelona. Keystone / Manu Fernandez Keystone / AP Photo / Manu Fernandez

Sunday in Barcelona: a Spanish riot policeman lifting his truncheon against would-be voters near a school assigned to be a polling station by the Catalan government. Keystone / Manu Fernandez AP Photo/Manu Fernandez

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Spain experienced a day of violent upheaval on October 1 during the vote in Catalonia for independence. Many protesters took to the streets - as did the Spanish police.  

The controversial referendum for Catalan independence brought out the masses. While separatists and their supporters tried to cast their vote in the region, the police sent out by the central government in Madrid cracked down hard on protesters and people trying to cast their ballot. The day ended in hundreds of injuries. 

The conservative Spanish government as well as the constitutional court declared the vote invalid. However, approximately 90% of voters in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia voted for separation from the rest of the country, according to Catalan officials.