Expressing Protest? Model Twerks Amid Burning Barcelona Streets

A week of protests against a Spanish Supreme Court ruling to jail Catalan independence leaders has made some streets in the Catalan capital look like a war zone.

Sandra Kisterna, an Instagram model who offers ‘Twerk Classes’, uploaded a video of herself dancing in scanty outfit in Barcelona streets burning after Catalan protests. 

The controversial video went viral, gathering more than 370,000 views – a remarkable spike compared to her account’s 12,200 followers.

“I am aware that not everyone will take it well, but I have freedom of expression like everybody!” Kisterna wrote in her description, adding that this is her “form of expressing protest” and that she does not want to offend people who “fight for their rights.”

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

LEE CON ATENCIÓN!! Antes que nada me gustaría aclarar que esto no es NINGÚN tipo de burla y mucho menos quiero OFENDER a la gente que sale a luchar por sus derechos. Dicho esto; esta es MI FORMA de EXPRESAR MI PROTESTA! Soy consciente de que no todo el mundo lo tomará bien, pero tengo LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN como TODOS! Hay gente que se manifiesta saliendo a la calle con violencia y yo no soy partícipe de ello. Lo que vi ayer por la noche en Barcelona era devastador, mi querida ciudad arruinada, donde solo reinaba el caos. Y quiero decir también que habían muchos niñ@s que no protestaban por sus derechos, si no que les hacía gracia ir corriendo por todas partes y romper todo cuanto se encontraban a sus pasos, y eso si que es triste de verdad. Aclarado todo esto, solo me queda deciros que por favor sigamos luchando pero sin tanta violencia porque estamos destrozando NUESTRA CIUDAD 😢 #Barcelona #LibertadDeExpresion #Baila

Публикация от 👻 NeqrahSk • Sk’🌹 (@sandra.kisterna) 19 Окт 2019 в 6:04 PDT

“There are people who are taking to the streets to participate in violence and I want no part of it. What I saw last night in Barcelona was terrible, my city was ruined, there was chaos all around,” she wrote.

The disclaimer did not save the video from criticisms by many viewers. While some were moderate, suggesting it was inappropriate timing, others noted that her “protest” does not make any sense “at all.”

“This is not a ‘protest’ in my view. It is taking advantage of a situation where people are being hit around the head with truncheons on our streets. Claim freedom of speech all you want, but I only see you using the situation as an excuse to gain fame,” one commenter wrote.

The protests, which have continued for a week, were sparked by the Spanish Supreme Court’s ruling sentencing nine Catalan independence leaders who were previously jailed for their role in the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, banned by Madrid, to 9-13 years in prison. 

Current protests have left at least 600 injured, approximately 200 arrested and have been claimed to have cost 2.5 million euros in damages, according to The Daily Mail report.