Catalan Independence: 1,066 treated, five hospitalised

Catalan health authorities said on Friday that 991 people were treated on October 1, the day the referendum took place, and a further 75 showed up at medical centres in the three days that followed, bringing the total to 1,066.

More than 80 per cent of those seeking treatment reported bruises, while 28 people reported panic attacks, two suffered from conjunctivitis, 36 fainted and 30 reported head concussions.

Five people were seriously injured and hospitalised, including a man with a heart attack, a man with right eye injuries – caused by a police rubber bullet – and three cases of fractured bones.

All have since been discharged.
Authorities also said 11 Spanish police officers and one Catalan police officer received medical care.

According to a Spanish Interior Ministry count from two weeks ago, the number of injured Spanish police officers was 431.

Pictures of riot-geared police rough handling Catalan crowds outside polling stations have caused international outrage, but the Spanish government has said reports of violence have been greatly exaggerated by the Catalans.

In the aftermath of the October 1 vote, several images circulating on social media and held up as evidence of police brutality were determined to be fake or not related to the events in Catalonia.

A leading official in Spain’s ruling People’s Party, Fernando Maillo, called Catalan injured statistics “a complete farce, a complete lie,” and Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, on Friday repeated that police acted lawfully with the full support of the government.

On October 2, UN Human Rights Chief, Zedi Al Hussein said he was “very disturbed.” He recalled that “police responses must at all times be proportionate and necessary,” and urged “thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all acts of violence.”

More than 1,000 people needed medical treatment as a result of police raids against the unauthorised independence referendum in Catalonia.
(dpa/NAN)