Status: 02/28/2021 12:15 p.m.
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The dispute over the prison sentence for the rapper Hasél continues to drive people onto the streets in Spain. After initially peaceful protests, there were serious riots in Barcelona. The police arrested 13 people.
After two quiet nights, protests against the arrest of the rapper Pablo Hasél for insulting the royal family broke out again in Spain. The Catalan police said on Twitter that 13 people were arrested late on Saturday evening in Barcelona.
Initially a peaceful demonstration
After a peaceful rally in which, according to media estimates, around 4,000 people took part, several dozen masked demonstrators set fire to a police vehicle, garbage container and the entrance area of a hotel on the Las Ramblas promenade in the center of Barcelona. Among other things, they also devastated bank branches and looted several shops.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the riots at the demonstrations for more freedom of expression and freedom of artists. “Vandalism and violence” are “unacceptable,” wrote the socialist politician on Twitter. Sánchez had previously promised better protection of freedom of expression.
Hasél was arrested on February 16 after failing to serve a nine-month sentence for insulting the monarchy and glorifying violence.
Freedom of expression controversy
In several tweets, the 32-year-old rapper compared the former Spanish king Juan Carlos with a mafia boss and accused the Spanish police of killing protesters and migrants. The case sparked controversy over freedom of expression in Spain.
On February 18, Hasél was sentenced to another two and a half years in prison for allegedly threatening a witness in a trial against two police officers.
More than 100 arrests
Since Hasél’s imprisonment, there have been protests almost every evening that have spread from his home region of Catalonia to the capital Madrid. Since then, more than 110 demonstrators have been arrested.
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