Spain's King condemns Catalan leaders as thousands take to streets

Spain's King Felipe gestures as he make an statement at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2017. Casa de SM El Rey/Francisco Gomez Handout via REUTERS

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spain's King Felipe VI on Tuesday accused Catalan secessionist leaders of shattering democratic principles and dividing Catalan society, as thousands took to the streets to protest against a violent police crackdown against the banned independence referendum held on Sunday.

The televised speech, a rare intervention by the 49-year-old monarch who is normally silent on politics, was a sign of how deeply Spain has been shaken by the Catalan vote and a police crackdown that injured 900 people.