Rallies against Catalonia independence to hold in Spain

Rallies are expected in Spain against Catalonian independence, after Sunday’s disputed referendum.

Demonstrations are planned in the capital Madrid and other cities, with supporters calling for a similar rally in Catalonia’s capital Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Spain’s government representative in Catalonia earlier apologised to those hurt during police efforts to stop the referendum.

But Enric Millo blamed the Catalan government for holding an illegal vote.

In the first apology by a Spanish government official over the violence during the referendum, Mr Millo said he could not help but “regret it and apologise on behalf of the officers that intervened”.

Hundreds of people were injured as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court ban on the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters.

Thirty-three police officers were also hurt.

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont now plans to address the Catalan parliament on Tuesday at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT), the speaker of the parliament in the autonomous north-eastern region says.

Spain’s Constitutional Court had earlier suspended the Catalan parliament session that had been planned for Monday, BBC reports.