Barcelona sees sixth night of protests for jailed rapper

Like previous days, Sunday began with a peaceful protest in Barcelona. But as night fell, the tension increased as protesters mostly dressed in dark clothes marched through the city centre to the National Police headquarters.

February 22, 2021 07:52 am | Updated 07:52 am IST - Barcelona

Demonstrators carry a rubbish bin to throw it agains police officers protecting a national police station during clashes following a protest condemning the arrest of rap singer Pablo Hasél in Barcelona, Spain on February 21, 2021. Protests in support of a jailed rapper turned violent for a sixth consecutive night in Barcelona on Sunday with clashes between police and groups of mostly angry youths in the center of the Spanish city.

Demonstrators carry a rubbish bin to throw it agains police officers protecting a national police station during clashes following a protest condemning the arrest of rap singer Pablo Hasél in Barcelona, Spain on February 21, 2021. Protests in support of a jailed rapper turned violent for a sixth consecutive night in Barcelona on Sunday with clashes between police and groups of mostly angry youths in the center of the Spanish city.

Protests in support of a jailed rapper turned violent for a sixth consecutive night in Barcelona on Sunday with clashes between police and groups of mostly angry youths in the center of the Spanish city.

Like previous days, Sunday began with a peaceful protest in Barcelona, where graffiti artists painted a mural critical of Spain's King Felipe VI and his father, former king Juan Carlos I, to show what they called solidarity with rapper Pablo Hasél.

But as night fell, the tension increased as protesters mostly dressed in dark clothes marched through the city centre to the National Police headquarters.

After half an hour of being pelted by rocks, bottles, trash and firecrackers, Catalan police moved in supported by vans to clear the street in from the station.

More than 100 people have been arrested from violent clashes with police since Hasél was arrested on Tuesday to serve a ninth-month prison sentence for his tweets and lyrics that insulted the Spanish monarch and praised terrorism violence.

Catalan police said that on Saturday over 35 arrests were made in Barcelona and other nearby towns after rioters smashed store windows and engaged in running battles with police. Other protests across Spain, including the capital Madrid, remained mostly peaceful.

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