People gather in Barcelona for a pro-independence rally ahead of an independence vote

A judge at Spain's National Court ordered two senior Catalan separatists to be remanded in custody late Monday as they face charges of sedition, judicial sources said.

Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart are accused of having encouraged hundreds of protesters to block police as they raided the offices of the regional government, ahead of Catalonia's banned independence referendum on October 1.