Catalonia is holding a referendum today on independence from Spain despite the government calling it a mockery of democracy. Tens of thousands of Catalan separatists took part in a final rally ahead of the referendum. <br/><br/>Regional President Carles Puigdemont told the crowd that he believed Catalonia with Barcelona being capital, would be taking its first steps as a sovereign nation. <br/><br/>Thousands of extra police personnel have been drafted in from across Spain as the government seeks to stop the ballot.<br/><br/>The government has called the referendum as unconstitutional and the country's Constitutional Court has suspended the vote so that it could consider the matter.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, more than 160 schools in Catalonia have been occupied by activists trying to keep them open ahead of the referendum.