On the fourth day of disturbances in Spanish cities, protesters looted shops and tried to set fire to bank buildings in Barcelona and Girona. In addition, blockades were set up in Barcelona.
In Barcelona, the police have intervened in several places to stop the riots. A number of streets have been blocked to stop the rioters. According to the Spanish newspaper The country there were about 2,000 protesters on their feet in Barcelona on Friday.
It is not known how many people were arrested on Friday evening. More than eighty demonstrators were arrested in the past three days. Dozens of people have been injured in the demonstrations so far.
A rioter tries to break into a bank building in the Catalan city of Barcelona.
A rioter tries to break into a bank building in the Catalan city of Barcelona.
Photo: ANP
–
–
–
Riots after rapper’s arrest
Go to Spain since Tuesday hundreds of people take to the streets to demonstrate for the release of the rapper Pablo Hasél. The rapper was arrested on Tuesday after he was sentenced to nine months in prison in 2018 for lese majesty and glorification of violence and terrorism in his lyrics.
He refused to go to prison and had taken refuge in the university of his hometown Lleida in the province of Lerida. The protesters call his arrest a restriction on freedom of expression in Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez does not believe that freedom of expression is endangered and condemns the riots. “Freedom of speech is protected by our democracy. People are free to say whatever they want, but violence is not protected by democracy.” He did promise to “expand” the rules on freedom of expression.
– .
