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Students Occupy Barcelona University in Support of Secession


A man drives his taxi decorated with an estela flag and publicity supporting the Oct. 1 vote in Barcelona, Spain Friday, Sept. 22, 2017.
A man drives his taxi decorated with an estela flag and publicity supporting the Oct. 1 vote in Barcelona, Spain Friday, Sept. 22, 2017.

Spanish media report that several hundred students have spent the night inside a Barcelona university to protest the government's efforts to stop a referendum over Catalonia's secession from the country.

The protesters have said on social media that pro-independence politicians are expected to give talks at Barcelona University on Saturday.

Jordi Vives, a spokesman for the students, told Catalan public television: "We are showing that as students we have a part to play and that for now we are staying put."

The remaining students were hold-outs from a group of about 2,000 that gathered in and around the university Friday. Several hundred occupied a central cloister near the offices of the dean and other university managers.

Spain's Constitutional Court has suspended the Oct. 1 vote while judges assess its legality.

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