Catalonia vote another sign of European populist discontent

London

CONSERVATIVE Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy has blundered by pursuing a heavy-handed approach to prevent an unconstitutional referendum in Catalonia.

Critics contend that he should have allowed people to vote and then declared the referendum illegal. Instead, police bludgeoned, kicked and fired rubber bullets at voters taking part in the referendum, injuring some 850 people in Barcelona and other parts of the province.