The German Chancellor phoned the Spanish Prime Minister earlier today after apparent scenes of police brutality in attempting to stop the referendum going ahead were scene around the world, according to a report by the German newspaper Die Welt.
However, the Spanish conservative government has denied there were any violent scenes with the Vice President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría saying the police did not use disproportionate force in their attempts to prevent the vote.
Ms Santamaría said “actions were taken against electoral material, never against people.”
She added the actions of the forces were done “with proportionality” and in the name of “coexistence and democracy.”
The referendum has been branded an “illegal” vote by the conservative Madrid administration as as the north east region attempts to break away.
Video footage shows protestors being fired with rubber bullets and police stamping on independence supporters at one polling station.
Eyewitnesses have filmed Spanish police charging at referendum voters and hitting people with batons.
The Catalan health department said that at leat 844 people had been injured in clashes with the security forces.