About 30 people were injured and eight of them hospitalised as a result of protests and clashes with police in a number of Spanish cities after people took to streets in support of rapper Pablo Hasel, arrested for what the police said was glorifying terrorism and insulting the monarchy.
According to the polic,e at least 14 people were detained: two in Barcelona, four in Vic, and eight in Lleida as a result of the riots.
Videos on social media show large crowds clashing with the police.
🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA | Desenes d'empreses privades com @Prosegur es converteixen en víctimes col·laterals de les protestes per demanar la llibertat de Pablo Hasél pic.twitter.com/Uy4k3AVgJQ
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA | La Guàrdia Urbana es veu superada pels manifestants a Lleida pic.twitter.com/BfmZbyHSTT
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
Posts on social media show grim footage of fires started by protesters during the night.
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
The aftermath photos from the scenes show broken glass and damaged infrastructure.
🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA | Barcelona, una ciutat anàrquica pic.twitter.com/5r4M9Gr2T0
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
Vía Augusta, Barcelona 16 de febrer de 2021. Los amigos de Pablo Hasel han pasado por aquí pic.twitter.com/J5k9a2TdLE
— Mon Bosch (@josepramonbosch) February 16, 2021
📹 La grua s'endú les motos cremades a Via Augusta (Barcelona) durant els aldarulls d'ahir.
— Aquí, amb Josep Cuní (@AquiCuni) February 17, 2021
🤳 Imatges @andreajvilloria. pic.twitter.com/Uyg9XwVgKF
Protesters also damaged the police station in Vic
🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA | Destrossen la comissaria dels @mossos de Vic pic.twitter.com/8eAR2ZKdPX
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA | Destrossen la comissaria dels Mossos d’Esquadra a Vic pic.twitter.com/B0uzRRDZPI
— Connectats24h (@Connectats24h) February 16, 2021
Alegres progres y pacíficos que quieren fomentar el turismo en la Barcelona de Ada Colau y Pablo Hasel. pic.twitter.com/T3YZHpUmqJ
— Mon Bosch (@josepramonbosch) February 16, 2021
Ataques indiscriminados contra la comisaría de la policía autonómica en #Vic. Desde 2017 se ha sembrado el fanatismo político y la semilla del odio en Cataluña. Se ha mandado el mensaje de desobedecer "leyes injustas": la ley de la selva. Únicos responsables: los de Lladoners. pic.twitter.com/3XFweAIEKr
— Paisatges d'Osona (@PaisatgesO) February 16, 2021
Hasel was sentenced to two years of probation for praising terrorism in 2015 and was sentenced again in 2018. The terrorism-related charges against the musician were brought in connection with references to the GRAPO organisation in his lyrics, which is in a list of terrorist organisations in Spain.
The rapper refused to voluntarily arrive at the prison last Friday and barricaded himself at the University of Lleida on Monday, along with nearly 50 supporters.
