Violent scenes which unfolded when Catalans went to the polls 10 days ago shocked the world and have left Spain staring down the barrel of a political crisis. 

But the heavy-handed enforcement could have been avoided had Catalan police obeyed a court order and shut down polling stations, Spain's ambassador to Malta José Pons has said.

In this Times Talk interview, ambassador Pons insists that the Catalan referendum - declared illegal by Spain's constitutional court - was itself a violation of democratic principles and respect for the rule of law.

He acknowledges that things could have turned out differently, but argues that it's easy to speak with the benefit of hindsight.

Ambassador Pons, a Catalan speaker who hails from the Balearic island of Mallorca, also had some interesting things to say about photos of pro-Spanish protesters making fascist salutes.

Watch the full Times Talk interview tomorrow on our website.