Dozens Hurt in Barcelona Clashes After Spanish Court Detains Catalan Politicians

MADRID (Sputnik) - Scores of people were injured in late night clashes with police in Barcelona after the top Spanish court ordered five separatist leaders in the Catalonia province to be detained pending their trial.

The Supreme Court charged the Catalan officials, including the latest candidate for regional presidency, with rebellion over their links to last October’s independence vote and declared them flight risks.

Protesters face off with Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalan regional police, as they gather near the Spanish government office headquarters after Spain's Supreme Court ruled twenty-five Catalan leaders will be tried for rebellion, embezzlement or disobeying the state, in Barcelona, Spain, March 23, 2018.

© REUTERS / Albert Gea

Barcelona health authorities said 24 people had requested medical help, most of them for bruises, after police used batons to stop protesters from marching on a Spanish government outpost in the autonomy.

Protesters gather near the Spanish government office headquarters after Spain's Supreme Court ruled twenty-five Catalan leaders will be tried for rebellion, embezzlement or disobeying the state, in Barcelona, Spain, March 23, 2018.

© REUTERS / Albert Gea

A total of 25 Catalan officials were charged Friday with various offences linked to the referendum, which the top court had ruled illegal. Thirteen of them were accused of rebellion.

Thousands of protesters in #Barcelona shout to #Catalonia's police (now under direct Madrid rule): "El vostre Conseller és a la presó!" = "Your (Interior) Minister is jailed in prison!"#FreeCatalanPoliticalPrisoners 🎗🎗#CatalanSpringpic.twitter.com/wGc1xvTYW1

— David d'Enterria *X (@denterd) March 23, 2018

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Thousands of protesters in #Barcelona shout "Ja n'hi ha prou!" = "Enough is enough!" in front of Spain's Govt HQ in #Catalonia.#FreeCatalanPoliticalPrisoners🎗🎗 #CatalanSpringpic.twitter.com/d0GcthTdGp

— David d'Enterria *X (@denterd) March 23, 2018

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LAST MINUTE: There have been 5 persons injured in pacific demonstration in Barcelona.#politicalprisoners #WakeUpEurope #FreedomOfSpeech #Freedom pic.twitter.com/X2Om7JCcMP

— Foreign Friends of Catalonia🎗️ (@Foreign_Cat) March 23, 2018

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Nouveaux coups de matraques. pic.twitter.com/B71QEhPCT8

— Elise Gazengel (@EliseGaz) March 23, 2018

​Protests erupted in other Catalan cities. Demonstrators were seen burning portraits of the Spanish king and calling for a general strike. In Barcelona, traffic was blocked on several motorways, while an estimated 10,000 rallied in the main square.