Hundreds of thousands march through Barcelona for Catalan independence

HUNDREDS of thousands of pro-independence Catalans have marched through Barcelona.

Crowds took to the streets on Catalunya’s national day ahead of a planned referendum next month on ceding from Madrid.

Mariano Rajoy’s government has declared the vote to be illegal and battled through the courts to prevent it.

Protestors built traditional Catalan casteller human towers as the centre of the region’s capital became a sea of red and yellow.

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau has vowed to allow the vote to take place, with a date of October 1 pencilled in.

During Monday’s march, a minute’s silence was held for the 16 victims of last month’s Barcelona terror attacks.

King Felipe and prime minister Mariano Rajoy were jeered during a subsequent rally held in memory of those murdered.