A video has emerged from the Catalan town of Artesa de Lleida of voters outside a polling station applauding the arrival of local Catalan police.<br /><br />The Mossos d' Esquadra are the police force of Catalonia which largely replaces the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil of other regions of Spain. <br /><br />They operate under the authority of the Generalitat de Catalunya rather than the interior ministry in Madrid.<br /><br />Tens of thousands of Catalans are expected to vote in the ballot, which will have no legal status as it has been blocked by Spain’s constitutional court. <br /><br />Madrid has sent thousands of police to the region to stop it taking place
