Protests Rock Spain for 3rd Night in a Row after Pablo Hasel Detention (Videos)
February 18, 2021.-Â Rallies protesting the arrest of a rapper convicted of insulting the monarchy have continued across Spain for a third straight night. One woman reportedly lost an eye and more than 50 people were detained at demos a day earlier.
Valencia saw some of the worst violence on Thursday, where demonstrators could be seen clashing with riot police in footage posted to social media, while a helicopter appeared to be monitoring the protests from above.
đ´CĂ rregues policials a la concentraciĂł per #LlibertatPabloHasel ara mateixa! pic.twitter.com/tZicqHkJ6B
— Jorge Mancebo NavalĂłn (@_Jorgemancebo) February 18, 2021
La policĂa ha reprimido a los que intentaban salir de la plaza de San AgustĂn en la manifestaciĂłn contra la condena de Pablo Hasel pic.twitter.com/kWAeNyKGP6
— Gonzalo SĂĄnchez (@GonzaloGSz) February 18, 2021
Multiple injuries were reported amid the clashes in the eastern Spanish city, while some protesters appeared to hurl stones and bottles at officers.
In Barcelona, which saw the first protests two days ago, further violent clashes broke out on Thursday, as bins, bikes and a building were set on fire.
Immens foc que crema al carrer AragĂł. Ha desfet un semĂ for, una moto; ha cremat un arbre i pot fer perillar els edificis. pic.twitter.com/lf94Z8z4nh
— Andrea Villoria (@andreajvilloria) February 18, 2021
Immens foc que crema al carrer AragĂł. Ha desfet un semĂ for, una moto; ha cremat un arbre i pot fer perillar els edificis. pic.twitter.com/lf94Z8z4nh
— Andrea Villoria (@andreajvilloria) February 18, 2021
Tercera noche de fuego y altercados en #barcelona #LibertadPabloHasel #Hasel #altercados #Barcelona #PabloHasel pic.twitter.com/ysQajogm84
— Alfonso Congostrina (@alfcongostrina) February 18, 2021
Protests in the Catalonian capital focused on the Ministry of the Interior, where a heavy police presence was in place, with helicopters also deployed. Barricades have also been erected in Barcelona and the windows of Spanish newspaper El PeriĂłdico have been smashed, according to El Pais.
The trouble follows the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel on Tuesday in the Catalan University of Lleida, where he and dozens of his supporters had barricaded themselves inside. The artist was held after failing to report to prison for a nine-month sentence handed to him for glorifying terrorism and accusing Spainâs disgraced former King Juan Carlos of corruption in a series of tweets.
Haselâs detention has raised major questions about Spainâs free speech laws and one of the countryâs main political groups has now thrown its weight behind a campaign to pardon the rapper.
On Thursday, the far-left Podemos party, which props up Spainâs coalition government, filed an official request with the Ministry of Justice for Hasel to be pardoned, because of his âunjustâ detention.
The conservative PP party, meanwhile, has slammed Podemos for not condemning the protests after tweets from its party members appeared to allege police had used unnecessary force against demonstrators.
Featured image: File Photo
(RT)
