Mayors from several cities in the Spanish region of Catalonia have announced they will not make public spaces available for a controversial independence referendum, further complicating backers' plans just three weeks ahead of the planned poll.
The mayors were responding to increasing pressure from the federal government in Madrid, putting them at odds with the separatist regional government of Catalonia, the newspaper El Pais reported on Saturday.
The referendum is scheduled for October 1. In addition to the region's largest city, Barcelona, six other major cities in Catalonia have announced they will honour the ban on the referendum, reported El Pais.
The regional government of Catalonia, led by Carles Puigdemont, on Wednesday passed a controversial law allowing for a referendum on independence. Just hours later, the Constitutional Court in Madrid rescinded the new law.
The seven municipalities are together home to about one-third of the 7.5 million Catalan residents. The mayors of the cities reportedly feared for their positions if they defied the government order.
Authorities in Madrid have threatened criminal proceedings against those who allow the referendum to go ahead.
Despite vigorous resistance from the federal government, which aims to prevent the vote at any price, Puigdemont insists that it will indeed take place.
The Spanish prosecutor's office has already filed a complaint against Puidgemont and his government for civil disobedience and breach of official duty.
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