Catalonia independence in pictures

October 1: Voters were asked "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic?" Photo: Pau Barrena/AFP

October 1: Spanish riot police clash with pro-independence protesters outside polling stations. Photo: Raymond Roig/AFP

October 2: Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont demands the withdrawal of Spain's Guardia Civil from Catalonia. Photo: Lluis Gene/AFP

October 3: More than 700,000 people take part in a general strike in Barcelona, that was called to condemn police violence during the referendum. Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP

October 3: King Felipe VI accuses Catalan leaders in a televised address of threatening Spain's stability. Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP

October 5: Banco Sabadell is one of several companies that announces they will relocate their headquarters outside Catalonia. Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP

October 6: Final results from the referendum show that 90 percent of voters backed independence from Spain, with turnout put at 42.3 percent. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

October 8: More than 350,000 people show their support for Spain by attending a pro-unity march in Barcelona. Photo: Jorge Guerrero/AFP

October 10: Carles Puigdemont tells the Catalan parliament he has the right to declare independence but suspends the process to allow for talks with Madrid. Photo: Lluis Gene/AFP

October 10: Pro-independence supporters listen to Carles Puigdemont's speech in Barcelona. Photo: Jorge Guerrero/AFP

October 11: Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy threatens to suspend Catalonia's regional autonomy if it declares independence. Photo: Stringer/AFP