More than 700 mayors from Catalonia have met in Barcelona in a show of strength amid pressure from Spain's central government not to hold an independence referendum deemed illegal by the courts.
Catalonia's regional government insists a vote will take place on October 1 but the Spanish government has vowed to block it, describing it as "unconstitutional". Political tensions in Spain are increasing as the proposed voting date nears.
The Catalan government has been scrambling to press ahead with the vote, despite the central government's warnings that local municipalities are not allowed to use public buildings and mayors can be legally prosecuted for it.
Hundreds of mayors stood on Saturday next to regional President Carles Puigdemont and Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau. Mr Puigdemont thanked them for not backing down and insisted that most Catalans are determined to press ahead with the referendum despite the ban.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has said the decision over Catalonia's future is a “matter for the people who live there”.
External affairs secretary Fiona Hyslop said “all peoples have the right to self-determination and to choose the form of government best suited to their needs”.
She pointed to the Edinburgh Agreement, signed in the build-up to the Scottish independence referendum, as to how governments can work together in such circumstances.
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