Spain braced for more protests today despite tentative indication that the sides may be seeking to defuse the crisis after Madrid offered a first apology to Catalans injured by police during their outlawed independence vote. Catalan leaders had threatened to declare independence unilaterally and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy promised to stop them, rejecting calls for mediation in the conflict. <br/><br/>Spain's deepest political crisis in decades has raised fears of further unrest in the northeastern region, a tourist-friendly area of 7.5 million people that accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy. Yesterday saw the first indication that the sides may be willing to step back from the brink in a political conflict that risks destabilising Europe. <br/><br/>The central government said it regretted the injuries and suggested Catalonia should hold a regional election to settle the crisis.<br/><br/>