One million Catalans vote in unofficial independence poll

Polls show that the majority of Catalonia's 7.5 million inhabitants want an official vote on independence, while around half support breaking centuries-old ties with Spain.

Catalonia's push for independence comes two months after the Scots voted to remain in the United Kingdom.

Mr Mas has said the vote, which lacks guarantees such as an electoral roll, is only symbolic and will likely lead to anticipated regional elections that will stand-in for a referendum on independence.

There was a festive atmosphere as hundreds lined up in front of another school in Barcelona, with some wearing pro-independence regalia.

'I voted for independence because I've always felt very Catalan,' said Nuria Silvestre, a 44-year-old teacher. 'Maybe I wasn't so radical before, but the fact that they are prohibiting (the vote) from Madrid has made me.'

Catalan television showed similar lines of voters across the region.

^{Voters cast their ballots. PHOTO: RAYMOND ROIG/AFP/GETTY}

Spanish state prosecutors announced late Saturday that they were opening an investigation to determine if by holding the informal vote in defiance of the court's suspension the Catalan government has broken the law.

Catalonia has seen rallies of hundreds of thousands of pro-independence supporters for the past three years, after Spain's economic downturn and the Spanish government's repeated denial to grant Catalonia control over its financial future.

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