Stop 'escalation,' Spain PM tells Catalan separatists as protests rage

Spain's prime minister called Wednesday on Catalan separatist leaders to end their "escalation" as several thousand people took to the streets of Barcelona to protest at Madrid's attempts to stop a banned referendum on independence."Stop this escalation of radicalism and disobedience once and for all," Mariano Rajoy said in a televised statement as protesters remained in the centre of the Mediterranean seaside city after a day-long demonstration that headed into the night.Shouting "we will vote,